El Camino and Zombieland 2: Unnecessary Retreads or Unexpected Hits?
It seems as if unnecessary is the new hottest take in the entertainment world. It’s the only descriptor tying El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Zombieland: Double Tap together. Although it appears that unnecessary is just the latest buzz word that critics are attaching themselves to, there is some truth to the point. Admittedly, at the end of the day, all film and television is for personal enjoyment rather than survival. However, this string of films seems to be slightly different. In a world with countless reboots, sequels, re-imaginings, and anything else of the sort, the two still kind of stick out like a sore thumb. None of their stories were screaming out for any sort of postscript or continuation.
Nevertheless, we got them and they are here to stay, so might as well watch them and add to the discussion. El Camino initially seemed to be the most justified of the unjustified. Jesse’s story, which in my opinion ended on the perfect note, was definitely left open ended. While this was one of its biggest appeals to me, his future was left uncertain and that opened itself up to the opportunity to be revisited. As a die hard Breaking Bad fan, I can’t refuse any opportunity to dive back into that world and as someone who is eagerly anticipating the newest season of Better Call Saul, I had faith in Vince Gilligan’s abilities to tell a compelling story. Unfortunately, El Camino is truly the first time I can say that Vince Gilligan and his team created a major disappointment. Again, I live and breath Breaking Bad and I found myself debating if I should just turn off my computer and give up on the film. Jesse’s journey to freedom from the law never amounts to much. His memories of performing tasks here and there for Todd, during his imprisonment, aren’t very compelling and the way he reaches his end goal isn’t all that creative or unexpected. The only things which kept me going were the hope that something surprising may happen(a characteristic of much of Gilligan’s work) and the need to be able to participate in the online conversations about El Camino. The Breaking Bad world has never let me down until now and it’s not a good feeling. While watching Jesse Pinkman and all his shenanigans is never an unwelcome way to pass a few hours, El Camino and its promotional material promised something great which it could not deliver on. It’s two mediocre episodes of the original show strung together. It in no way spoils the series’ original ending but it just seems like something that got our hopes up only to never truly fulfill its potential. Jesse riding off in that car, crying and screaming out of joy, pain, and whatever other slew of emotions he was feeling was an extremely memorable and resonant moment and a proper send off for one of TV’s most unexpectedly sympathetic characters. Maybe that should have been enough of a hint to indicate that any more would have felt unnecessary and El Camino can be described as just that.
Zombieland: Double Tap, on the other hand, while stemming from the same tree, presents a completely opposite result. It’s the one you expect nothing from but also the one that delivers a welcome surprise. It’s a case where if you weren’t a fan of the first, this one isn’t going to do anything to change your mind. Luckily, for those who really enjoy the original, this is more of the exact same. There’s nothing new or extraordinary that Zombieland: Double Tap adds to the franchise, but unlike something like The Hangover Part II, this second installment does enough different to feel like you are getting a new story with the same great characters. That’s why Zombieland worked in the first place. Woody Harrelson’s Tallahassee is amazing as usual and Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin round out the bunch just as they did previously. Whether it be zombie killing sprees at the White House or a Graceland, Elvis inspired hotel, the action always entertains. I think that’s why, as someone who never bought into the undead craze, Zombieland always stood out. The climactic moments have a certain energy to them that other similar franchises have never been able to achieve. The humor is smart, in the sense that it is well-thought-out and expertly paced. It feels much more like quality over quantity and it’s nice not to be bombarded with joke after joke. It also takes a lot of restraint from a director to recognize the major hits from the first and touch on them without overdoing them. Colombus’ classic rule book is back and Bill Murray is clearly still on everyones’ minds. At the same time, all the references never feel desperate. Lastly, Zombieland: Double Tap still proves to have a heartfelt message at the end and we finish the journey hoping that are characters will continue as the happy bunch they are in their post-apocalyptic wasteland.
While both films definitely deserve to be classified as unnecessary, one feels like it succeeds much more than the other. This may somewhat be due to expectations but you can’t help how you feel at the end of a film. Unfortunately, El Camino was a disappointment and luckily Zombieland: Double Tap was pure enjoyment. Neither really needs to exist and it’s very surprising that either does. It will be interesting to see if this is just a unique occurrence or a new trend within the ever changing entertainment landscape of the 21st century.
