INTRODUCTION
This is a quick review of the newly released film The Lost Bus. Please note that this is just one of the many movies I will have watched each year, and my initial grade for this film may change over time, for better or worse. To stay up to date on my thoughts about other movies and any potential changes in my opinion on this one, follow me on Letterboxd.
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PLOT
Via Letterboxd: A determined father risks everything to rescue a dedicated teacher and her students from a raging wildfire.
REVIEW
Other than maybe James Mangold, Paul Greengrass might be the only director who has so consistently made films tailored to “Boomer dads” that still end up well-received by both critics and audiences; and often find themselves in the awards conversation to boot. Whether it’s action and westerns like the Bourne films or News of the World (one of the best films of 2020 in my book), or gripping true-life stories like United 93, Greengrass has become a director whose latest projects every cinephile has to at least consider.
Coming off his last Oscar-nominated effort, his newest film is once again an adaptation of true events, this time covering the devastating 2018 California Camp Fire that claimed 85 lives. The story centers on the heroism of Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey), who against all odds guided a school bus full of children, alongside teacher Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), through the lethal inferno.
On paper, that sounds like the recipe for a gripping survival story. But in execution, the first half is among the dullest stretches I’ve sat through this year. The film takes far too long, nearly fifty minutes, setting up Kevin’s ordinary life with arguments involving his boss, his mom, his son, and even Mary once the plot starts to kick in. Worse, the dialogue is some of the clunkiest I’ve seen in a Greengrass film, making those stretches feel tedious rather than enriching. That sense of repetition, circling conflicts without adding much, made me more impatient for the actual survival story to begin.
Even once the fire sequences arrive, the film struggles with its own patterns. Again and again, the bus is surrounded, the kids panic, and Kevin finds a way out. Rinse and repeat. At over two hours, this is a film that could’ve easily lost twenty minutes without losing its impact.
That said, once the film finally kicks into gear, Greengrass delivers the visceral intensity he’s known for. The survival sequences are staged with nerve-rattling urgency, with the blaze consuming everything in its path in a way that will keep most viewers on the edge of their seats. This stretch of the film is where it shines most, and I can only imagine how much better it would’ve played on the big screen rather than through Apple’s streaming service - which is how a vast majority who watch this will experience it.
Both McConaughey and Ferrera also manage to elevate the material. McConaughey has some rough, melodramatic scenes to trudge through early on, while Ferrera doesn’t even appear until nearly forty minutes in, but once they’re together, their performances bring real investment to the story.
The screenplay’s repetitiveness and TV-movie straightforwardness keep this from being top-tier Greengrass. But the film’s gripping second half, strong performances, and a finale that should leave most audiences satisfied allow it to just barely rally. For me, it lands at a soft B-. This may be Greengrass’ weakest film to date, but even at his weakest, he still directs something worth watching at least once.
“TL;DR”
Pros: Incredibly gripping scenes of survival action while our protagonists are deep in the heart of the inferno - aided by some great visual effects; Greengrass’ typical flare for directing some great cinematic shots; Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera elevate film.
Cons: Super straightforward, play-by-the-numbers, “made for TV” type of Screenplay featuring some clunky dialogue; Incredibly boring first act; Might just be Greengrass’ worst film in my personal rankings of his projects.
GRADING
