El Camino Movie Review

Splitting the difference between relationship-driven charms and crime drama, Vince Gilligan crafts El Camino as a crowd-pleasing western that is sure to delight fans of Better Call Saul and its parent series. The narrative isn't groundbreaking, but it focuses on what Gilligan does best: conveying the rigmaroles of crime and writing characters into impossible situations.

The film picks up exactly where the series finale of Breaking Bad left off, with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) peeling away from the Neo-Nazi compound in Todd Alquist's (Jesse Plemons) El Camino, tears streaming down his face. While Jesse was originally slated to die early on in the show's original run, El Camino proves that keeping him alive was a wise decision.

As director, Vince Gilligan brings his welcome return to the Breaking Bad story, resulting in a slight but memorable postmortem for the series. The 122-minute film might not be an essential component of the Walter White mythos, but it is an undeniable pleasure to revisit this world again.

Over six years later, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie looks to give Jesse Pinkman some closure and a more involved send-off. While 'Felina' wrapped up a string of episodes in which Jesse took a backseat to Walter White's swan song, El Camino seeks to rectify this by giving Jesse the spotlight.

Taking place right after the events of Breaking Bad, El Camino is neither essential nor groundbreaking, but it is an absolute pleasure to behold. Aaron Paul and Vince Gilligan make a thrilling and confident return to the world they left behind six years ago, like slipping on a pair of worn and comfortable shoes.

El Camino is a satisfying conclusion to Jesse Pinkman's story arc, providing fans with a nostalgic trip back into the Breaking Bad universe. While it may not offer anything new or revolutionary, it is a testament to Gilligan's skill as a storyteller that he can craft a compelling narrative around one of television's most complex characters.

El camino movie review