Director Paul Greengrass is a filmmaker I greatly admire. He always creates films based on actual events that feel real and emotional. He also incorporates elements necessary to stay true to a film’s story, especially one in which there are a variety of moving parts. With films ranging from United 93 to Captain Philips, the theme of survival portrayed realistically is what he knows how to do. In The Lost Bus, he is successful again making a film that is spellbinding and surreal. It is based on the California wildfires of 2018.

It is an exhilarating ride that begins at the start of the film. Greengrass opens the film up with dry and vast cinematography. He creates the foundation with a landscape for his audience to brace themselves. The film’s main character is Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey), a dad dealing with his own problems at home. He works as a bus driver struggling to make ends meet. Things get a whole lot more complicated on his next shift because wildfires are scattered all over California. As he is navigating his workday, fires continue to spread and different disasters arise. Soon, Kevin finds himself needing to save twenty-two children on his bus. With the help of a schoolteacher named Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera) who is on the bus with him, they try to keep the children safe while finding the right path to safety.

Greengrass has a writing style that is critical and revolutionary. As the story of The Lost Bus progresses, additional dangers pop up which cause jumps in heart rates for the audience. The quest for survival is anxiety-provoking, but that is why the movie is amazing. Greengrass uses skillful writing and knowledge of the real-life situation to keep his audience curious about the scenario. Why are their limited resources? How are the fires getting so out of control? What choices should Kevin and Mary think about? What options are possible? The persistent question of safety keeps heads spinning while also keeping hope alive in The Lost Bus. This film is mammoth ride where audiences will want to put their helmets on and fasten their seatbelts.

McConaughey and Ferrera play an effective tag team. Greengrass places them in characterizations that they inhabit fully. He lays out the logistics of the conflict and creates a pattern. The film does find itself scattered in moments of rapid ashes, which may seem blurry at times. However, that is also a necessary part of delivering the vibe of a real natural disaster. The multitude of anxiety-producing events invigorate the mind with The Lost Bus.

Safety in scarce and there is no easy answer in sight for these two adults and twenty-two children. All everyone has is each other in The Lost Bus. I felt the magnitude of never giving up aching in my heart throughout The Lost Bus. This is a captivating story based on real events which feels like a gut-puncher but is worth watching. Three out of four stars for The Lost Bus.