This movie, arriving six years after the series finale, will resonate strongly with old fans it also works as a stand-alone story, puzzling perhaps, but still satisfying. A group of prostitutes appears to service a gang of villains no nudity or on-camera sexual activity. Intermittent swearing includes "f-k," "s-t," "bastards," "d-k," and "a-hole." Characters smoke marijuana and cigarettes, ingest cocaine, and drink beer. Viewers can expect gun battles, deaths, fights, and life-or-death moments, as well as evidence of past torture, beatings, and captivity. As in the television show, suspense and violence are part of the fabric of the story. They also provide an opportunity for appearances by the celebrated series principals. Intercut with scenes set in the present are the hero's reflections on the two years preceding, which inform viewers of critical incidents that led him to this time and place. As he moves from one dangerous situation to another, the tension heightens and the stakes get higher. With a short preface that sets up the hero's quest, the young man tries desperately to get out of Albuquerque, escaping from law enforcement as well as his own past misdeeds. So instead, Netflix stepped up to foot the bill and use the power of its marketing department to trumpet the film’s premiere.Parents need to know that El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a full-length feature film set in the time period immediately after the climactic, violent events that ended the five-season TV series Breaking Bad in 2013. Meanwhile, AMC doesn’t have the deep pockets to finance Vince Gilligan’s vision of shooting “El Camino” in a wide-screen format with a planned theatrical release. But Acorn doesn’t have the reach of Netflix, nor would something like a “Breaking Bad” follow-up make sense for that brand. This is a partnership that makes sense when one considers AMC Networks’ other channels - which regularly air British programming - like SundanceTV, IFC and BBC America. It does have a hand in the streaming pie, after buying into the niche streamer of British and Australian programming, Acorn TV. (The CW’s “Riverdale,” for instance, jumped a stunning 467 percent in teen viewership after the first season streamed on Netflix.) But “Breaking Bad’s” upward curve in audience viewership over the course of the final two-part season, which shot from two to 10 million viewers by the series finale, was practically unprecedented.ĪMC is now one of the very few independently-owned cable channels left, the flagship channel of AMC Networks. The sudden jump in average viewers between season three and season four can be attributed to something critics refer to as “ The Netflix Effect,” which has since benefitted several shows. But the movie is currently exclusive to Netflix with a “limited theatrical run,” and will eventually air on AMC “at a later date,” which is expected to be in 2020. Cranston is a critically-acclaimed actor, having appeared in beloved movies and TV shows like Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle. If the movie premiered on AMC, and was treated like a TV movie special, this might have felt more excusable. Best known for Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston tried to break into movie stardom with Godzilla - but that was a bad choice. But others, like Jonathan Banks' fixer Mike, appear randomly with zero clues as to who they are or even if they are more than just memories. Some of the characters need little explanation, like Skinny Pete and Badger (Charles Baker and Matt Jones), Jesse’s two stoner buddies. But “El Camino” does not bother with such niceties. Someone who had never seen either TV series would enjoy them just fine, even if they didn’t pick up on all the nuances. Both “Deadwood” and “Downton” were standalone pieces that behaved as such. (I counted 16 cameos, all told.) But it’s still a strange sort of film, especially coming on the heels of both the “Deadwood” and “Downton Abbey” movies. All the “Breaking Bad” faces one expects to show up do. Each sequence is a step towards coming to terms with his experiences as he tries to begin building a new life.įor fans of the series, this is the closure for Jesse they always wanted. Thus, the film plays like an extended two-hour episode where Jesse must work his way through a series of obstacles as he attempts to find his own closure. Pinkman is as much a prisoner of his PTSD as he is by his need to find Walter’s money stash. Instead, Jesse finds himself unable to leave Albuquerque, trapped both by physical and emotional roadblocks. But those expecting the movie to start back up where they assumed this scene left off - Pinkman being chased toward Mexico by the cops in a classic car - will be disappointed.
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