EL CAMINO – A BREAKING BAD MOVIE REVIEW
Starring: Aaron Paul
Directed By: Vince Gilligan (Feature Film Debut)
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes
Six years after Breaking Bad went off the air means we’ve been wondering for six years what happened to fan favorite Jesse Pinkman after the events of the series finale.We saw him miraculously escape, and drive away, but where did he go?Shouldn’t the cops have been after him?Those lingering questions are answered in El Camino – A Breaking Bad Movie.
Breaking Bad won sixteen Emmy Awards during its five year run on AMC.The show is highly regarded as one of the best, most addictive series in television history.Breaking Bad is credited with creating binge watching.It was the first new series to be watched in succession on Netflix, and then fans would flock to watch new episodes on AMC.Each year the series saw massive growth in viewership.The creators credit Netflix with their success, so they went with Netflix for the movie.Which caught a ton of fans off guard.
El Camino was recorded in secret.The plot and the actors in the film were kept under wraps.No one knew the movie existed until it was completed.Not even Netflix.It was brought and sold to them as a finished product.
El Camino picks up exactly where the series finished.It does not catch you up for the most part.You need to have finished the series before starting this movie.This film is very much for the die-hard fans of the show.It doesn’t play around, it gets started immediately.It refuses to hold your hand and bring you up to speed.I appreciate that as a viewer.I did my homework and watched the final three episodes leading up to the movie this week.Why the final three?Well, if you go back three episodes it gives you a chance to watch the episode titled “Ozymandias” which is about as perfect an hour of television as you’re ever going to see.Then you get the two-part finale.
Breaking Bad was always such a tense show, it was nerve racking at times to watch.El Camino isn’t necessarily that.It’s more like a victory lap of sorts.We watch Jesse hide out with some old friends.We watch him try and get out of Albuquerque.It plays like a nice epilogue to the show.There isn’t anything here that’s entirely necessary, but it’s a nice addition to the canon.
Aaron Paul was always such a treat to watch play Jesse Pinkman.He won three Emmys playing that character and he was a delight to watch.So angry, so naïve, so trusting.He’s been through the ringer now, and he isn’t trusting anyone anymore.It’s nice to see him take charge.The events of the final season clearly changed the character.
El Camino is at times tense like watching the show, other times it’s strangely funny, and sweet.We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the passing of Breaking Bad actor Robert Forster, who passed away Friday, the day El Camino was released.The 78 year old actor was nominated for an Oscar for his work in Jackie Brown.The great character actor DOES make an appearance in El Camino, but that’s all I’ll say.
The film doesn’t offer much in the terms of plot that you didn’t already make up in your mind after the series ended.There aren’t MANY twists and turns, but there are a few.Just enough to keep it interesting.I don’t exactly know why this movie exists, but it was nice to get to go back to that world one more time.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – Stream It – It’s a good story, but not the most creative thing in the entire world.
If you liked Breaking Bad, The X-Files Movie, or Scarface you might like El Camino – A Breaking Bad Movie
3 out of 5 stars for El Camino.Plays it safe and delivers a more than serviceable epilogue to one of the greatest TV shows of all-time.