More than a decade after “Captain Phillips,” director Paul Greengrass is back with a thrilling movie based on another true story. And he gets it right again.
“The Lost Bus” is a film set during the 2018 Camp Fire, an event caused by a transmission line failing in northern California. The fire ended up becoming the deadliest in the Golden State’s history, largely destroying several communities, including the city of Paradise.
Greengrass’ film provides a view of the fire’s overall impact, mainly through the lead firefighting agencies. However, the movie largely centers on Kevin (Matthew McConaughey), a local bus driver who evacuated an elementary school through the fire with help from a teacher, Mary (America Ferrera).
There’s really only so much a filmmaker can get out of dramatizing real disaster events. Fortunately, Greengrass is a master at extracting every ounce of cinematic value from true stories. Previous examples have included “United 93,” “Green Zone” and the aforementioned “Captain Phillips.”
That’s the case again with “The Lost Bus,” which is an intense recreation of the 2018 blaze. What makes this an effective retelling is how the audience is given both a macro and micro look at the event. While the titular bus is in fact the main focus of the feature, it’s not the only vantage point a viewer has.
The movie also recounts the event from the perspective of leadership at Cal Fire, which was working tirelessly to combat the blaze. Ultimately, it works to give the movie a good balance, with a more procedural and logistical dramatization of the overall fire, and the grounded, human element when centering on the bus.
It does fall into the expected trap of being formulaic, which is the case for many movies with this approach. As a result, the film’s narrative doesn’t draw much intrigue, and some of the surrounding melodrama around Kevin can feel generic.
Yet the movie’s execution in showing the scope of this harrowing situation, from the firefighters on the frontlines to Kevin navigating the inferno, makes up for it. The picture is also enhanced in that it pulls no punches in noting the corporate negligence that led to the fire, or the fact that climate change created an unprecedented rate of spread.
The movie also heavily benefits from its lead characters being portrayed by a star-filled cast. McConaughey, an Academy Award winner, and Ferrera, an Oscar nominee, both flex their acting muscles in the movie. They convincingly humanize the characters while portraying their conviction to survive and protect the children.
Character actor Yul Vazquez also deserves credit for a solid performance as the stoic, focused fire chief. While the firefighters themselves are good, the fire itself is sometimes a bit lacking. There are a few moments where the CGI is a bit too noticeable, which can take a person out of a scene.
However, for the most part, it’s well made and often has a viewer on the edge of their seat. That’s especially helped by some real footage edited into the movie to show the devastation. That, combined with the strong direction, acting and attention to detail make this suspenseful film a success. 4 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 