Breaking Bad ended in 2013, but the massive success of the AMC series meant we didn't have long to wait before returning to that world.
Better Call Saul launched in 2015 and while the prequel has occasionally touched on what came next for Saul Goodman following the series finale, the stories of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman came to a close with that episode, and we were left to decide for ourselves what might have become of the latter as he sped away from the compound where his former mentor drew his final breath.
As we saw in the trailers,
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie picks up right where
Breaking Bad ended six years ago and the less you know going into this sequel, the better. We can, however, tell you that it fills in some big gaps from the final season while also delving into what came next for Jesse after he made his escape from that cage thanks to Walt's "sacrifice."
As you might expect, the spotlight is put on Aaron Paul for almost the entirety of this movie and he delivers a powerful, compelling performance which is undeniably awards worthy. The actor attempted to enter the blockbuster realm with the likes of
Need for Speed and
Exodus: Gods and Kings in 2014 and, unfortunately, the response to those hurt his career at the time. Luckily,
El Camino should put him back on the map in a major way before he arrives in
Westworld next year and it serves as a reminder of what an amazing talent he is. Jesse Pinkman isn't the man he once was after everything he went through, and Paul does a phenomenal job portraying that, while never failing to remind us that he is still the same character we spent all those years following.
El Camino is a little more cinematic than the series it follows (which is appropriate given plans for it to have a limited theatrical release), but it takes no time at all for us all to fit back into this world and that's a credit to writer and director Vince Gilligan. The
Breaking Bad franchise remains in good hands with its creator, and the trademark black humour and inventive visuals that became a staple of the series return here in some unique and exciting ways.
Given how perfect
Breaking Bad's ending was, a sequel was a risky venture and could have easily ruined the legacy of the beloved series. Thankfully, it delivers in every respect and serves as a satisfying conclusion to this story and a perfect epilogue that addresses all the lingering questions we've had for the past six years, while still proving that it's a worthy addition to the world of
Breaking Bad.
Should there be more movies? There could be, but this effort is an absolute masterpiece and with an ending this perfect, it honestly feels like the right time to call it quits. Well, aside from that long overdue final season of
Better Call Saul!
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a perfect epilogue to the greatest TV show of all-time, and an incredible movie in its own right. Aaron Paul's tour de force performance is utterly jaw-dropping and perhaps the best work of his career.