--- title: "The Lost Bus: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-lost-bus/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-lost-bus" critics_score: 65 critics_reviews: 17 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Lost Bus (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 65 from 17 reviews: 8 positive, 9 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean towards qualified approval, with praise concentrated on Paul Greengrass’s tense, immersive wildfire sequences. Critics repeatedly single out the force of the fire, smoke and sound, finding the evacuation frightening even when the surrounding drama is less convincing. Matthew McConaughey’s grounded performance and America Ferrera’s warmth and resolve also draw praise, giving the bus sequences a human focus amid the danger. Reservations centre on formulaic family drama, underdeveloped characters and a story some critics find too narrow for the scale of the catastrophe. The spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed, with no outright negative verdicts: Vulture particularly values the realism and attention to the firefighting effort, while Slant Magazine objects to real tragedy becoming the backdrop for a conventional hero’s journey. Most critics agree that the fire sequences work; they differ over how much the script’s familiar devices weaken their impact. ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Ebiri calls the film a great disaster movie and says its realism lingers after the thrill ride ends. He especially praises Greengrass’s vérité-style portrayal of the firefighting effort and the disaster’s scale. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-the-lost-bus-is-an-instant-disaster-movie-classic.html) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 17 September 2025. The review presents the film as a thrilling survival story, with Matthew McConaughey portrayed as an understated hero. It singles out the visceral wildfire action as a strength. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-lost-bus-review-2025) ## IndieWire — Kate Erbland Rating B. 6 September 2025. Festival review. Erbland finds the film’s portrayal of the Camp Fire terrifying and highly effective, but says its focus on the bus story feels too narrow for the disaster’s scale. She particularly praises the wind and fire effects for making the catastrophe feel visceral and real. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-lost-bus-review-paul-greengrass-camp-fire-1235149504/) ## The AV Club — Matt Donato Rating B-. 18 September 2025. Donato finds the film an effective, rousing disaster thriller despite its heavy-handed, manipulative family drama. He praises Greengrass’s immersive depiction of the wildfire’s peril and the children’s convincing nervousness. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-lost-bus-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. Rooney finds the film most effective as an immersive, tense account of the wildfire evacuation, despite personal drama that sometimes feels like padding. He praises the fire’s terrifying visual force and the urgent bus sequences, while singling out America Ferrera’s warmth and resolve. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey-america-ferrera-1236363458/) ## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. Lee finds the film technically accomplished and frightening, though its excess and soapy script weaken it. He particularly praises Greengrass’s tense, immersive direction and Matthew McConaughey’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/06/the-lost-bus-review-paul-greengrass-wildfire-movie) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2025. The URL identifies this as a review of the specified film, but the page content is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/movies/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey.html) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 3/5. 1 October 2025. The critic finds it serviceable but unoriginal, with the film’s immersive disaster thrills undermined by a lack of originality. The oppressive sound design and the appealing pairing of McConaughey and Ferrara stand out for praise. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-lost-bus) ## Radio Times — Calum Baker Rating 3/5. Baker’s review gives the film three stars and praises Matthew McConaughey’s convincing, charismatic performance. He singles out McConaughey as a compelling presence at the centre of the true-story thriller. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ewplb1/the-lost-bus/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 5 September 2025. Festival review. Debruge finds the docudrama immersive but slow to engage, and limited in the story it tells. He praises the terrifying, stunning scenes of the bus surrounded by smoke and flames. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey-1236509822/) ## Empire — Helen O’Hara Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2025. O’Hara finds the film’s human drama less involving than its disaster spectacle, resulting in a mixed verdict. She praises the fire sequences as thrilling and terrifying, especially when children are in danger. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-lost-bus/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2025. Abele finds the film galvanizing at times but weakened by a formulaic character arc and missed opportunities. He praises the terrifying fire sequences and the sturdy performances of Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-09-19/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey-america-ferrera-paul-greengrass) ## Screen Daily — Robert Daniels Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. Daniels describes the film as uneven but intense. The headline and standfirst single out its California wildfire-disaster drama and intensity. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-lost-bus-review-paul-greengrass-teams-with-matthew-mcconaughey-for-uneven-california-wildfire-drama/5208634.article) ## Slant Magazine — Mark Hanson Rating 2/4. 8 September 2025. Festival review. Hanson finds the film’s nerve-wracking depiction of the wildfire thrilling but says its clichés undermine the intended solemnity. He criticizes Greengrass for turning real-life tragedy into a roller-coaster backdrop for a hero’s journey. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey-paul-greengrass/) ## Collider — Nate Richard Rating 7/10. 17 September 2025. The critic finds it a gripping, hopeful docudrama that falls short of Greengrass’s best because of underdeveloped characters and repetitive storytelling. He praises its tense, immersive fire sequences and the grounded performances by Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey/) ## Deadline — Damon Wise Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. Wise finds the wildfire drama intense and compelling, though its moral framing and the audience’s knowledge of the children’s survival lessen the suspense. He praises the convincing sense of danger created by the performances, especially America Ferrera’s quietly reassuring presence. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/09/the-lost-bus-review-paul-greengrass-matthew-mcconaughey-america-ferrera-1236510179/) ## The Wrap — Steve Pond Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. The critic finds the film a sobering showcase for Greengrass’s filmmaking, though it feels less timely than earlier documentaries about the Camp Fire. The review especially praises the visceral, breathless momentum of the wildfire sequences. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-lost-bus-review-paul-greengrass-turns-up-the-heat-in-visceral-wildfire-story/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-lost-bus.md