El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie: Movie Review

Strictly speaking, "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" is a movie designed from the ground up to be consumed for the fans of the show. So for non-fans, the movie is a good one emotionally and dramatically but lacks that narrative depth to really be beyond acceptable. While for fans, "El Camino" is a proper send off to one of the most remarkable shows and characters in recent times and we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

After escaping from the clutches of the cruel Jack Welker, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) pursues a clean slate and a fresh start. But this is easier said than done not only is he being hunted by law enforcement officers but he needs to find a way to get a substantial amount of money very soon to completely transition to a new identity and be finally free from his past sins.

If you think Jesse Pinkman was broken in the television series then "El Camino" found a way to drastically add more depth into his character putting in more time into showing how being captured and tortured has physically and mentally changed Jesse for good. We were satisfied with how the television series ended but "El Camino" found a way to make this addition a worthy and essential one. What we loved about "El Camino" was its simple approach. The story had a no-frills and is a "point a to point b" formula as Jesse seeks a literal fresh start by getting a new identity and starting a quiet life in Alaska. The primary issue that his character faces of course is that he is a fugitive so he needs to be creative in getting the resources he needs to make his plan work. Most of these hinges on seeking his dark past which is the perfect driver to put new elements unseen in the television series. Although we have to admit, the film's pace felt a little bit off at times. Running at two hours long, the film could have benefited with another half hour. The film took its time to develop its story but then suddenly sped things up in its last half hour. The direction of Vince Gilligan was great. Of note, the cinematography was wonderful to look at and crucially retained the same vibe, look, and feel of its source material. But the star of the film was really Aaron Paul. His performance was nuanced and authentic and probably his best on the big screen. Objectively, "El Camino" is a must-watch for fans of the show but an easy miss for those who aren't familiar.

Rating: 4 reels





Why you should watch it:
- an emotional and dramatic send-off to Jesse Pinkman
- simple yet perfectly captures the magic that made the show such a hit

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- if you haven't watch "Breaking Bad" completely then the film is just average

You can catch "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" on Netflix.