Spoiler alert, do not read this if you haven’t seen the movie yet…
El Camino is a movie for the fans. It gives us the unwanted resolution to Jesse’s character after he escapes. There is an old Hollywood axiom that warns, “movies are about the last 20 minutes”… meaning, in order for a movie to become an instant classic, the last act and climax must be the most satisfying experience of all. Breaking Bad has a great ending, this movie doesn’t. The series finally leaves the audience satisfied with knowing that Jesse was able to escape, Walter White and the bad guys are dead, and that anything Jesse does moving forward would be better than being in a cage(duh). El Camino was predictable… the show had already given us insight into Jesse’s true character. Yes, he killed (bad)… but he also loved, cared and risked his life for characters he had a deep connection with (good). We saw how pain took over, and money was no longer his priority. Walter on the other hand, showed less remorse for others and cared more about his status and empire.
I watched the show in its entirety, three times. As a fan, I enjoyed watching the movie but felt it didn’t live to its expectation. The only major surprise is that Jesse finds a new life up north, rather than down south. Nevertheless, I would recommend it as a Saturday afternoon (hangover) movie if you have nothing else to watch.