US Edition'The Lost Bus' review: Out of control wildfire meets mediocre script
The film depicts the 2018 Camp Fire evacuation where bus driver Kevin McKay saved 22 children amid deadly wildfires caused by utility company negligence.
- On October 3, 2025, Paul Greengrass's The Lost Bus streamed on Apple TV+, dramatizing bus driver Kevin McKay saving 22 students after a limited theatrical run starting September 19, 2025.
- Set during the 2018 Camp Fire, the film locates its drama in Paradise, California, where PG&E's poor power-line maintenance caused the initial spark and the blaze killed 85 people.
- Critics praised the cinematography and visual effects, while Rotten Tomatoes aggregated an 86% approval rating from 49 critics, reflecting largely positive reviews.
- Apple TV+ priced at $9.99 monthly bundles the film into its library, aiming to attract subscribers and convert streams into long-term subscriptions amid retention challenges.
- While prompting reflection on heroism, the film bridges entertainment and advocacy amid rising wildfire frequency, but reviewers say Paul Greengrass and Brad Ingelsby rely on disaster-movie clichés that blunt urgency.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Observador
IOL PortugalThe Lost Bus film, which was featured on Apple TV+, was inspired by the story of Kevin McKay and two teachers who were able to remove primary school students during fires in California.
Watch new movie The Lost Bus starring Matthew McConaughey, streaming today
New movie The Lost Bus is streaming today for free on Apple TV+, starring Matthew McConaughey. The film is based on the book ‘Paradise’, which tells the true story of how school bus driver Kevin McKay saved 22 school children from the deadliest California wildfire in a century. McConaughey plays McKay, with much of the film following the bus journey in its escape through the raging fires. America Ferrera also stars as Mary Ludwig, the school tea…
The Independent
The Independent (US)The Lost Bus is a real-life horror story warped by Hollywood – review
This depiction of the 2018 Camp Fire disaster in Butte County, Northern California, wants to be a realistic docu-drama, but it gives its star far too much fictional drama than is needed
Matthew McConaughey Stars in Apple TV+’s The Lost Bus Wildfire Drama
In the ever-competitive world of streaming services, Apple TV+ has carved out a niche with prestige dramas and star-driven projects, and its latest offering, “The Lost Bus,” exemplifies this strategy. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film stars Matthew McConaughey as a school bus driver and America Ferrera as a teacher, thrust into a harrowing survival tale amid the 2018 California wildfires. Based on Lizzie Johnson’s book “Paradise: One Town’s …
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