*******Breaking Bad and El Camino Spoilers Below*******
Breaking Bad is among the greatest shows ever made. It’s on par with The Wire, Game of Thrones, and The Sopranos. However, unlike those shows, Breaking Bad delivered a finale that was near-universally loved across the fan base and with critics alike. It was so great that everyone immediately demanded more from creator Vince Gilligan. And for a long time, he maintained that he’d deliver on that in the form of a movie but nothing really materialized. That is, until earlier this summer when he and Netflix dropped a surprise teaser for El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The film was set to deliver the final chapter to Jesse Pinkman’s story following his escape from captivity in the Breaking Bad finale.
And deliver it did. Picking up literally moments after the end of Breaking Bad, El Camino gives fans (and Jesse) the ending he finally deserves. After all the horrible things he’s put through over the course of the show, he’s on the run and desperate to find a new life. In a surprisingly effective collage of flashbacks and former characters, Gilligan turns in a finale that’s equally intense as it is cathartic. Aaron Paul continues to prove that he was born to play Pinkman as he steps back into the role. Seriously, I’m not sure if it qualifies him for an Emmy or Oscar since it’s technically a “Breaking Bad movie” but, either way, he deserves at least a nomination.
It isn’t the high-stakes druglord-on-druglord violence that some fans may be expecting. There are a few moments of intense showdowns though, and too many heart-stopping stand-offs to count. But overall, Gilligan and co are much more interested in tearing Jesse’s character down to the studs through flashbacks and return trips to places from his past. Some good, like Skinny Pete and Badger’s house, and some bad, like the welding shop where his tether was built while in captivity. As the emotional cornerstone of the series, Pinkman always drew the audience’s sympathy. It was him that everyone rooted for getting a happy ending. And, through a combination of Paul’s stellar performance and Gilligan’s masterful direction, El Camino gives Jesse the send-off he always deserved.
But, Paul isn’t the only one acting his ass off in the film as most everyone on hand breathes an incredible sense of life Gilligan’s already-fantastic script. The late Robert Forester stands out as he shifts the entire dynamic of multiple scenes effortlessly. And Bryan Cranston’s short cameo is nothing short of pure gold as it gives fans one last heart-to-heart between Walt and Jesse. Not to mention the fact that we also got one last “Yeah, bitch” from Paul in that scene as well. Overall, El Camino mixes thrills, twists, and tragedy into one perfect ending for Jesse Pinkman.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is available to watch on Netflix right now.
