‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’: Was It Worth The Wait?

It’s been 6 years since Breaking Bad left our screens and for many of us, that was a sad time indeed. It was difficult to say goodbye to the characters after 5 seasons of getting to know them. Although in the past there have been rumors that there would be a season 6, that’s all they were… rumors.

If you’re like me you might have watched Breaking Bad right through several times. It’s such a gripping tale that is full of fear, heartbreak, greed, and suspense. On Friday, October 11, 2019, we received a brand new film that continues the story from the conclusion of the original series.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is 2 hours and 2 minutes long and was written and directed by the one and only Vince Gilligan. It truly does follow on from where we left off in Breaking Bad, which makes it the perfect closure that we needed all along. The main character, Jesse Pinkman, is of course played by Aaron Paul and he is still just as you’d remember from the series.

We’re going to let you in on our opinions of the film and whether or not it lived up to our expectations. If you’ve not yet watched the film and do not want any spoilers, you might want to stop reading now!

A summary of Breaking Bad

Ultimately, giving you an overview of Breaking Bad might take a very long time. Five seasons can be a daunting task. In this instance, a quick video might refresh your memories.

So, here’s a video of Aaron Paul recapping Breaking Bad in 2 and a half minutes.

It all begins where?

At the start of the new movie, Jesse is stood at a peaceful lake with Mike (the lovely but grumpy bald guy from Breaking Bad). The two discuss freedom and money, and the next steps. It immediately turns to Jesse, who is now free in El Camino. He immediately drives back with Badger, Skinny Pete and his other brothers, from his mother.

It is clear that Jesse is vulnerable. He may be scared, hurt and afraid. When arriving ‘home’, he shovels noodles into his mouth and then goes to bed. It’s clear that Jesse finds it difficult to escape the memories of his captivity as when he wakes up he pulls a gun on his friends. He takes a bath, gets dressed, and then he sets off on his journey.

I was impressed by the contrast of flashbacks and present-day, particularly when we see Jesse’s interactions with Todd (the strange blonde guy). Jesse’s future relies on what he has seen with Todd in the past. We certainly see more of Todd in the film than expected – he seems to have a kind but naive persona, believing that there are genuine reasons for committing a crime. In contrast, we see Jesse more vulnerable than ever before… not able to escape, cry out for help or fight. Instead, he gives in to Todd’s requests like a slave.

However, despite having to do things against his will, Jesse’s efforts with Todd lead him to his great escape in the end. Let’s just say that Todd’s flat has more than a tarantula hiding inside.

Walter White is really still alive?

He is not alive, Walt lovers. The film only features Walt in a flashback with Jesse, where they sit in a café discussing pineapple and the future. Unfortunately for Walt there is no future. The film is very much Jesse’s steps after being held captive. I’ll tell you now that he manages to get away and make a fresh start for himself, far away from the chaos in his hometown.

It was worth it?

You will feel the film. It was hard not to wait for the big moment, to see the storyline unfold more so the movie could be longer. It was a sad ending for Jesse. After he got his money, he paid the owner of a hoover shop to give him a fresh start and landed in Alaska. The show ended peacefully, which Jesse Pinkman surely deserved. He was able to finally relax and enjoy the peace and quiet after all he had done, even though much of it wasn't legal.

So in terms of whether it was worth the wait… That really depends on what you were hoping for out of the movie. You got the answer if you wanted closure for Jesse or to find out that Walt really was dead. You might have been looking for a way for the story's revival, but it didn't happen.

Personally, I hoped for more action beyond Jesse trying to find his way. I hoped that the film would have more action than Jesse finding his way. But I didn't want Jesse to suffer. Aaron Paul certainly did a fantastic job at playing the victim – a man who had been hidden, beaten and bruised. He was a terrible person. I felt sad. Actually, I felt sad that he finally drove through Alaska towards the end of the film.

If I could have seen more it would have been to see the reactions of Walter’s family. I wanted to see more of the aftermath of Walt’s destruction and the mess he left behind.

The film is a well-made movie. Although there were other characters, the main focus of the film was Jesse and his escape. It was worth the wait because it did have exactly the same vibe as Breaking Bad and therefore it did not feel out of place. It felt familiar because it continued from the beginning of Breaking Bad. The movie was about winding down and not building up.

Although I didn't want anything to happen to Jesse following his escape, I still wanted more. If there’s not another movie, I will not cry about it because it had the perfect closure. If there's another, I hope that it offers more excitement.

Is there a sequel planned?

Nothing has yet been confirmed. It all depends on the producer and writer's desire to revive the story.

Vince Gilligan has in the past said he would “never say never” to more spin-offs of Breaking Bad. This is dependent on the success of the film and whether or not Gilligan wants to pursue other projects.

Treat El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie as a bonus. This is your dessert. It’s a great movie but do not hold out on there being another one just yet!

What were you thoughts about El Camino? b ****?