Rarely does a beloved television show have a perfect ending. The revelation at the end of “Lost” left viewers with a bad taste in their mouth. The entire last season of “Game of Thrones” was poorly written and was full of downright character assassination. “Breaking Bad,” however, had an ending so elegant, so quiet, so fitting. The finale wrapped up nearly everything, and gave us a beautiful end to a beautiful show. “El Camino” shows that Vince Gilligan and company can not only craft a fantastic ending, but they can do it twice.
“El Camino” is a Netflix film that came out six years after the finale of “Breaking Bad.” It follows Walter White’s partner Jesse Pinkman directly after the events of the finale, as he tries to overcome his trauma and put all of Albuquerque behind him. Having only recently watched the show, I always knew I had this film at the end waiting for me. But for those who watched “Breaking Bad” when it aired, I would understandably be worried when “El Camino” was announced, in fear that it would taint the show’s great ending.
A Quiet Retrospective on Jesse Pinkman
Fortunately, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While still pushing past the story of the finale, it doesn’t fracture it at all. Rather, it’s a quiet retrospective on the most broken character on the show, and perhaps all of television. This film isn’t a revival, nor a retcon. It’s really just a few episodes to give the audience closure on Jesse Pinkman.
One thing immediately noticeable about this movie is its cinematography. “Breaking Bad” is a lot of great things, but fantastically shot isn’t really one of them. And it doesn’t need to be. The gritty, sweaty nature of the way the show is shot is perfectly fitting for the gritty, sweaty nature of the place and events portrayed. But a story, a conclusion rather, such as “El Camino” can really benefit from beautiful, wide shots and brilliant lighting. And it does. “Breaking Bad” isn’t shot with a lack of directorial vision, but Gilligan’s direction in “El Camino” is so much more present.
[‘El Camino’] is a quiet retrospective on the most broken character on the show.”
Most of the time, when a TV show has a revival, they try to make it this grand affair, a celebration of everything the show has to offer. And that’s not bad. Usually these kinds of revivals contain the last chance to ever work with those characters and plot. But the reason why I love “El Camino” is because it doesn’t try to do any of that. Like I said, it’s quiet. Hell, more than a third of the film is a flashback, just to bring us to a point where we see the scope of how much Jesse has endured.
‘El Camino’ isn’t an Explosive Final Chapter; Which is why it Works
This is something most creators wouldn’t waste a second on if they had a 120 minute Netflix revival. But that’s why Gilligan’s work is so special, isn’t it? He focuses on the characters first. “El Camino” isn’t an explosive final chapter to a story, but a character study. With the addition of “El Camino,” “Breaking Bad” doesn’t go out with a bang or a whimper. It goes out with a respectful funeral service, a heartwarming and heartbreaking end to a beautiful life.
And man, these actors did not lose their characters in the six years since the show ended. Most notably here is Jesse Plemons as Todd, who actually plays a pivotal role in this film. Of course, he’s dead in the present, but these extensive flashbacks really give us insight into the horror of Todd’s character, and his performance is just brilliant. Of course, Aaron Paul shines as Jesse. He was always a powerhouse of the show, but here he proves he can actually carry an entire film on his back. I hope to see him in other mainstream roles in the future, as I’m pretty sure his “hit” role in 2014’s “Need For Speed” is not getting another appearance.
Cameos from the Expected Players
Jonathan Banks, Krysten Ritter, and Bryan Cranston also have small cameos, again as flashbacks. And yet, it doesn’t quite feel like needless fanservice. We see how the deaths and loss of so many characters built up Jesse’s trauma, and the return of these specific people help highlight how their deaths were so important to him.
It’s also just fun to see their characters again, even though Banks’ Mike character is a regular on “Better Call Saul,” and Cranston will have an inevitable cameo when that show wraps up. There’s just something truly special about looking at these characters in a different lens, knowing how they’ll end up, knowing where their characters will go. Not every franchise uses flashbacks so well, and Gilligan adds yet another tool to his storytelling toolkit.
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is a fitting end to Jesse’s arc, and simultaneously the show’s arc. It beautifully contains a satisfying ending to a beloved character, and closure on numerous fan-favorites throughout the show. While other shows might struggle with the opportunity to give one last breath to their dying intellectual property, Gilligan and the crew of these projects prove that there’s always more story to be told somewhere.
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is available to stream on Netflix.
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