IAN KAHLER
kahlerid@lopers.unk.edu

“Breaking Bad” is arguably one of the most influential shows of modern television. From winning multiple awards and dominating TV since its debut in Jan. 2008, “Breaking Bad” remains in the conversation of great television dramas.

It was heralded as one of the few shows that actually ends on a satisfying note for fans and for the show’s characters. No strings were left unattached in terms of characters, plot and themes in the show. This brings us to “El Camino.” When producer of “Breaking Bad,” Vince Gilligan, said he was wanting to continue Jesse Pinkman’s storyline, he was skeptical if it would work out and be satisfying for the fans of the show.

Thankfully, Gilligan and his team knocked it out of the park with 2019’s “El Camino.” Anyone who has seen “Breaking Bad” knows Gilligan as a master of working the camera to ensure every shot is meaningful, important and beautiful. That is absolutely the case for “El Camino” as well. The sweeping shots of Albuquerque and surrounding desert look stellar and help establish the scene.

Aaron Paul, returning as the lovable Jesse Pinkman, gives a powerful performance full of drama, but with a good balance of comedic relief for the intense moments of “El Camino.” 

Without giving too much away, there is one flashback scene that will give any “Breaking Bad” fan a rush of nostalgia and happiness. However, that, along with too many scenes that reference other parts of the overall “Breaking Bad” mythos, makes it feel like it’s just there for fan-service as it doesn’t really play into the overall story of what “El Camino” is trying to tell. 

Still, despite minor plot points and flashback sequences, “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is an absolute must watch for any fan of the original series.

 Filled with memorable returning characters and tense scenes of hardship that the characters experience, “El Camino” is a cinematic pleasure that is sure to keep fans satiated and discussing for years to come.