'The Lost Bus' Review: A Harrowing Retelling of the "Camp Fire" that Perished a Paradise
- Shauna Bushe
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 29
By Shauna Bushe- October 17, 2025
Director Paul Greengrass, known for his talent for constructing real-life calamities into heart-pounding cinema, takes the wheel for The Lost Bus. The film is a heart-wrenching, white knuckled retelling of the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest fire ever recorded.
What is 'The Lost Bus' about?
Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey) is a father, burdened by his own failures, who finds himself on a perilous act of courage: entrusted with navigating a bus full of terrified children and one steadfast teacher (America Ferrera) to a safe location. What was supposed to be a 10-minute drive ultimately becomes a desperate fight for survival. Detoured by dangerous looters, pile-ups of hysterical people on the road, they find themselves pushed further towards the blazing fires. The immersive inferno acts like a raging war, and McConaughey’s efforts to outrun it are fierce. With no one coming to help, The Lost Bus acts like a coat of armor, defending those on board as they frantically flee the engulfing heat.
From the outset, it is incredibly atmospheric. The camera directs you through a valley, showing you exactly how the fire came to ignite. As we see the fire become more and more potent, the camera switches to a nauseating handheld style, moving as the fire shifts and destroying everything in its path, almost looking like a supernatural entity. You’re crippled with anxiety and fear, as the film's relentless escape from the burning flames enrages, with visceral style. Almost no score is used; the creaking surrounding trees, the rustling, groaning wind, and bloodcurdling screams create a dreadful bleakness with minimal effort. Additionally, the colour palette is a great visual enhancer; we see purple and orange skies, mixed with grey, black clouds, only breaking apart when the film flashes back and forth from those hurrying to put the fires out and those trapped within them.
Camp Fire Backstory: The true story
The fire began on November 8th, 2018, when part of a poorly maintained Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) transmission line in the Feather River Canyon failed during strong katabatic winds. Those winds rapidly drove the Camp Fire through the communities of Concow, Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon, and Paradise, largely destroying them. The fire burned for another two weeks and was contained on Sunday, November 25th, after burning 153,336 acres. The Camp Fire caused 85 fatalities, displaced more than 50,000 people, and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, causing an estimated US$16.5 billion in damage. It led the Camp Fire to be noted as one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history.
Kevin McKay is the central protagonist and is introduced as a man struggling financially, on thin ice at his job, and has a deeply estranged relationship with his son, Shaun. To look at him, you wouldn’t think he was a man of action, but as you endure the film's critical points alongside him, you witness how quick he is to use his instincts during life-or-death situations, his skills of navigating the gridlocked roads, and his sheer will to keep the bus moving towards the safe zone. Mary Ludwig is a mother whose maternal instincts act as a shield and comfort for the children. She works tirelessly to distract the children from the terror outside their windows. Dedicated to keeping them safe and compassionate towards Kevin, who she comes to realise is a new driver and also has a family to worry about.
In supporting, Ray Martinez (Yul Vazquez) is the chief of the fire department. His fierce attempts at containing the fire become out of his control, and he is forced to stop firefighting and instead save as many lives as possible. These shifts focus on how incredibly unpredictable fires can be and the impossibility of control. Ruby Bishop (Ashlie Atkinson) is the bus school dispatcher and Kevin’s stern boss. Sherry McKay (Kay McConaughey, played by Matthew McConaughey’s real-life mother). Sherry deals with an ongoing chronic illness, which is primarily why Kevin returned to Paradise after leaving many years prior. Shaun McKay (Levi McConaughey – Matthew McConaughey’s real-life son). He is a resentful teenager and is the motivation Kevin uses to survive and risk his life.
Is The Lost Bus worth your time?
The Lost Bus is a devastating, true-to-life drama, with stellar performances from all involved. It’s ultimately a moving, haunting experience that I will wholeheartedly rewatch again. Paul Greengrass has a solid here; it's terrifying and beautiful in all the right ways.
You can watch The Lost Bus on Apple TV
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