Running Time: 130 minutes
This feature film from Apple Original Films is currently in limited release at theaters and will be available to view on Apple TV+ as of Friday, October 3rd.
Certain filmmakers have a knack for a specific genre, be it horror, comedy or drama. Paul Greengrass is a director who, over the years, has made action thrillers, but has been equally drawn towards biopics and true stories. They are often captured with hand-held cameras, at times emulating documentary shooting styles, but are often put together using rapid editing technique. His credits that would fall under this category include Bloody Sunday, United 93, Captain Phillips, and 22 July. His latest is The Lost Bus, a tense tale loosely based on a real incident that occurred during the 2018 Camp Fire in California.
Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey) is a cash-strapped school bus driver in Northern California, separated from his wife and living with his disabled mother (Kay McCabe McConaughey). His estranged teenage son Shaun (Levi McConaughey) is also at home, and would rather be living with his mother. When a poorly maintained power transmission line goes down in the nearby mountains, the dry and windy conditions cause a massive wildfire that spreads not only through the wilderness, but also through local communities. McKay desperately wants to return home to his family, but is asked to return to a nearby elementary school, load up students and teacher Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), and get them to an evacuation center. Escape becomes much harder than expected when the raging inferno cuts off routes and leaves them surrounded by flames.
The film very quickly establishes the threat and impressively shows how quickly fire can travel under specific conditions. Greengrass’s filmmaking expertise really shines early on when fire marshals and other public services get together to try and combat the fire. The camerawork and storytelling feel very authentic as the crews are quickly overwhelmed and the situation grows out of control. Despite the entire story taking place during the day, the smoke clouds soon cause a blanket of darkness within the burning environment.
In many films, visual effects like fire can appear phony, but that generally isn’t the case in this film. The flames are appropriately big, intimidating and convincing, particularly when characters are forced out of their vehicles to try and find assistance or smother and snuff out burning areas preventing passage. There are some stunning images and the filmmaker employs impressive and creative angles. One involves a camera mounted on a vehicle hood, while others featuring shots of the cars and the bus maneuvering through dangerous, narrow terrain surrounded by heat, are remarkably tense.
Another plus are the characters, who aren’t presented as flawless or skilled enough to make the correct decision in every situation. The somewhat cranky McKay desperately wants to get the bus home to his own family. Early on, he is short with Ludwig, who initially does everything by the book. In McKay’s opinion, she is slowing them down and it results in some rash and hasty acts on his part. But as events progress, both leads get over their personality conflicts and learn to work together for the benefit of the terrified kids. And that’s a plus for the leads, because others around also engage in some desperate behavior, adding to the tension.
It all makes for a very tense ride. The only noticeable problem that does eventually pop up is later in the story. During a break where the characters rest and hope for a new escape route to appear, they begin relating personal stories and struggles in their lives. It’s all well delivered by the cast, but the sudden shift in material into resolving their own life experiences isn’t nearly as convincing. Perhaps it feels especially unlikely because, for the longest time, the characters have been dealing with nothing but more urgent and immediate threats in order to keep themselves from meeting a tragic end.
Still, this is a very compelling tale overall. It excels at showing how easily a blaze can spread, and makes one feel like they are right in the middle of a horrific inferno with little hope of escape. There are a couple of dramatic moments that aren’t as authoritative, but The Lost Bus still marks another compelling adaptation of a true event by its seasoned director.