The Lost Bus – Movie Review | Apple TV+ (4/5)

THE LOST BUS on Apple TV+ is a new survival thriller based on the true story of a rescue mission during the Paradise wildfire. Paul Greengrass directs with Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera starring. Read our full The Lost Bus movie review here and watch it on Apple TV+!

THE LOST BUS is a new Apple TV+ survival thriller based on a true story. Watching the crazy ride through one of the deadliest wildfires is stress-inducing and almost feels like a workout. My pulse certainly remained high throughout.

The movie premiered at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in early September. Now, one month later, it’s out in wide release on the streaming platform. The runtime is 2 hours and 9 minutes, and no, that’s not too long.

Continue reading our The Lost Bus movie review below. Find it on Apple TV+ from October 3, 2025.

Hold on tight and remember to breathe

With The Lost Bus, we’re getting a movie that shows the very real horrors of wildfires. All aspects of wildfire, really. From the struggle to evacuate to the fire department being forced to choose between fighting fire and saving lives.

Obviously, the two are ideally closely connected. However, when a wildfire gets out of control, resources can be put to better use by getting people to safety instead.

The focus in this Apple TV+ movie is, as revealed by the title, a bus. Specifically, a school bus.

We meet the wayward school bus driver, Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey), who has just moved back to his childhood home of Paradise in California, when a wildfire hits.

Along with the dedicated school teacher, Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), he goes on a mission to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno. Armed with nothing but a school bus and knowledge of the area, they face extreme danger.

Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera star

Needless to say, the subject of wildfire is one that hits close to home for anyone who has ever experienced it. The wildfire in Paradise, California, happened in early November of 2018, so it’s not that long ago at all.

The deadly campfire essentially wiped the entire California town off the map, and the town is still recovering, so in that sense, it’s still an open wound.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WILDFIRE?

Check out this tough read on npr.org about the repopulation >

Telling the story of the school bus driver and local school teacher, who risked everything to save 22 school kids, is one of the positive stories to come out of this tragedy. And it needs to be portrayed with respect and dignity.

Fortunately, Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera both deliver strong and organic portrayals of these two heroes. He is frazzled by life before the fire even begins, and she knows exactly what the kids need, but combined, they succeed.

I hope you’ll recognize this isn’t a spoiler.

After all, they wouldn’t make a movie about 22 kids dying during a rescue mission. However, be warned, it is still a brutal story to watch, and the worst of human nature also shows its ugly face.

On a more fun and positive note, I loved that Matthew McConaughey’s real-life son, Levi, and his mom, Kay, co-star in The Lost Bus in those very same capacities.

Watch The Lost Bus on Apple TV+ 

The Lost Bus comes from director Paul Greengrass and was inspired by real events that happened during the wildfires in Paradise, California. Of course, Paul Greengrass is no stranger to directing movies based on real tragedies.

He directed the 2006 movie United 93 about the plane that was crashed before arriving at its intended target on 9/11. I still remember watching that movie in a theater in New York City nearly 20 years ago. It was a very intense experience.

Also, he directed the Netflix movie 22 July about the Norwegian tragedy that cost more than 70 lives.

For this new Apple TV+ production, the screenplay was written by Greengrass in cooperation with Brad Ingelsby (Task, Echo Valley). The movie was based on “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” by Lizzie Johnson.

Among the producers, we find iconic horror filmmaker Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions and Jamie Lee Curtis for Comet Pictures. Jamie Lee Curtis brought the project to Blumhouse after reading the book. The two also co-produced The Sticky on Prime Video.

Final words to remember: While I absolutely recommend watching The Lost Bus, I want to highlight that this is not an easy watch, but it is an important one!

The Lost Bus premieres globally on Apple TV+ on October 3, 2025.

Details

Director: Paul Greengrass
Writers: Brad Inglesby, Paul Greengrass
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson