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El Camino: An Entertaining, If Unnecessary, Epilogue

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Spoilers for Breaking Bad follow.

Breaking Bad’s final episodes were arguably just as good as the rest of the series, which is to say they provided a satisfying and complete conclusion to the show’s various character arcs and plot threads. Jesse Pinkman’s final scene, in which he escapes a Nazi compound driving a stolen El Camino through a chainlink fence, gives the character resolution while leaving his fate open to the viewer’s imagination. Though not explicitly stated, audiences have long speculated that Jesse escapes both the law and his criminal past, free to start a new life someplace far away. El Camino, a two-hour thriller filmed in secret and released on Netflix on October 11th following a limited theatrical run, explores Jesse’s character in the immediate aftermath of the events of the series, and while it offers few surprises or new plot developments, the film is a well-crafted and entertaining coda to the critically-acclaimed series.

Perhaps the first thing viewers will notice about the film is the fact that all of the actors have visibly aged, as the movie was filmed six years after the conclusion of the series on which it was based. For the film’s protagonist, this fact of life works to the narrative’s benefit; Aaron Paul looks suitably transformed as Jesse Pinkman after having undergone an unimaginably cruel ordeal during the events of the series’ final season. However, the appearance of other characters strains believability. Badger and Skinny Pete, for instance, are presumed to be in their 20’s, but are portrayed by actors who are 37 and 48 respectively. And while the movie borrows heavily from the visual language of Breaking Bad, its cinematographic style has also matured, as it was produced with a higher budget and filmed with better-quality cameras. As such, the film is visually distinct from the series that preceded it, as its various elements combine to produce a more mature and refined appearance, a welcome evolution of the series’ iconic look.

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Just as in Breaking Bad, the writing and acting on display in El Camino is phenomenal, and Aaron Paul excels in a leading role. Whereas the presentation of his character throughout the five-season series mainly focused on his relationship with Walter White, Jesse is often acting by himself throughout the events of the movie, allowing Aaron Paul to fully showcase his talent. Paul skillfully portrays Pinkman both in the aftermath of the events of the series and in flashbacks to previous points in the show, skillfully depicting the transformation of his character from the one viewers will recognize from the series to the movie’s more independent and world-wearied take. One of the major themes of the original show was the idea of transformation, as the show depicts the gradual but drastic evolution of Walter White from unassuming high-school teacher to meth kingpin, and this theme is extended in El Camino, as Jesse Pinkman becomes his own man rather than one who is defined by his relationship with his mentor and father figure, Mr. White.

Though the film certainly provides some new perspective on a fan-favorite character, the general plot points of El Camino are unsurprising, as Jesse’s fate was effectively telegraphed by the events of the series. Though the film offers a few twists and turns, as well as a number of flashbacks that both inform the plot and give the viewer a sense of Jesse’s emotional and mental state in the present, the general trajectory of the movie’s principal characters is predictable. This, however, is perhaps for the best, as it prevents the movie from overshadowing the series that came before it. Fortunately, the film in no way detracts from Breaking Bad, as its additions to the story respect the show’s legacy and build on top of it rather than trying to redefine it. El Camino is more like an excellently-crafted extended post-credits scene than an independent film to be enjoyed in its own right, and it gives some welcome, if redundant, closure to an already phenomenal television experience.

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Trailer for El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Released

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Spoilers for Breaking Bad follow.

Breaking Bad’s ending, while providing an emotionally satisfying conclusion for the series’ principal characters, left open the fate of deuteragonist Jesse Pinkman, who was last seen racing away from a Nazi compound in a stolen El Camino. The critically-acclaimed series spawned a spin-off, Better Call Saul, which is also critically acclaimed but does not address the question of what happens to Jesse Pinkman, as the series takes place before the events of Breaking Bad. However, a film entitled El Camino, starring Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman was secretly written, produced, and directed by Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, and premiers on Netflix on October 11th.

As a result of the production’s intense secrecy, details about the film are scarce. On Tuesday, a two-minute trailer was released which, though it provides hints about which characters and locations will be featured in the film, does not give much in the way of indication of overall plot progression. In the trailer, a battered Pinkman arrives at the house of his friend Skinny Pete, and is joined by series regular Badger. Pinkman showers and sets off on a journey to an unknown location for unknown reasons, stopping to dig something up in the New Mexico desert and running from the police.  An unidentified voice asks Pinkman, “You ready?” to which he replies, “Yeah,” before the film’s title appears on-screen. Though the trailer provides fans with very little information to work with, this might be for the best, as it ensures that viewing the film on its premiere will ensure an unpredictable and fresh experience.

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Though the entire cast and crew are notoriously tight-lipped, Gilligan and others have revealed a few details about the film in interviews and promotional materials. The full cast of returning characters and actors has not yet been confirmed, but Vince Gilligan has said that more than ten characters from the series will return, and Jonathan Banks has said that his character, Mike Ehrmantrout, will appear in the film, though the character died during the series. (The river where Ehrmantrout was shot is featured in the trailer, alongside two blurry figures, indicating the film may feature a flashback to the moments immediately preceding Ehrmantrout’s death.) The film was shot under the working title of Greenbrier, and used the ARRI Alexa brand of camera, giving it a more cinematic look than the series had.

Perhaps the best source of information about the movie is a feature in The Hollywood Reporter which is based off of interviews of both Vince Gilligan and Aaron Paul, during which they describe the process of creating the film and its inspirations. During the interview, Gilligan said that while watching Breaking Bad beforehand will surely enhance your experience of watching the film, it is not necessary to do so to understand the film’s plot. Because the film had a much higher budget than any of the episodes of Breaking Bad, Gilligan had a lot more flexibility when it came to making filming decisions. Gilligan has long wished for a theatrical release of a Breaking Bad film, and with El Camino, this dream will be realized, as the film will be presented in a limited theatrical release alongside the October 11th Netflix premiere, before a television screening on AMC early next year.