Chupa Netflix Movie Review: It’s Cute

Netflix’s Chupa is a cute, family friendly, film that tells the story of a young boy who finds a Chupacabra cub under on his grandfather’s farm.

Netflix has been doing a really great job with releasing movies that are good options for family movie nights. This trend continues with Chupa, the story of a young boy named Alex who finds a fabled Chupacabra cub under his grandfather’s shed while visiting Mexico from the United States.

It weaves in a lot of Spanish speaking and traditions, which is always a great way to open the minds of young ones to other cultures. At the same time, those who identify as a part of this culture will be excited to see themselves on screen.

Chupa is a very cute movie that, while not perfect, provides a lot of entertainment for families with young children. It takes a bit too long for Chupa to show up (nearly half the film) but once he does, viewers will instantly fall in love with him. During interviews for the movie, Director Jonas Cuaron revealed that this part on set was played by a dog. This makes perfect sense because not only does Chupa resemble a dog, it is clear Evan Whitten, the boy who plays Alex, had that sort of bond with the animal. 

The connection between Alex and Chupa is by far the best part of the movie. It is charming and adorable, and you cannot help but root for them. When Christian Slater shows up as the evil scientist who wants to take Chupa away and study him, his performance allows you to hate him as a character, even though you can’t help but love the actor.

Alex is ridiculed for his heritage by other kids his age, which is heartbreaking, but unfortunately more relatable than it should be. Because of this he starts to hate his culture so much so that he tries to get out of going to visit his family for school break. There is a scene that is very similar to one in My Big Fat Greek Wedding that shows how cruel people can be just because something looks or sounds different than what they are used to.

Exposing children to Spanish words, Mexican foods, LatinX music, and even the legend of the Chupacabra is done in a way that makes sense within the movie. Demián Bichir plays Alex’s grandfather. He is a former lucha libre champion which also adds a lot of culture, and fun, to the story. 

While it does pay off in the end, the story line revolving him takes away from the story of Chupa and Alex. He is losing his memory and is sick, which unfortunately just convolutes the plot more than is necessary. Chupa is adorable, but the effects aren’t perfect and some moments, especially the flying ones, don’t work quite as well as they should have.

Overall Thoughts

Chupa has its charming and adorable moments, most of which are when the Chupacabra cub is on screen. The story itself is interesting, but also tries to do too much. There are some great plot points however cramming them all together causes the film to lose its spark at times. 

That said, the actors are all fantastic and do their best with their roles. They bring something special to the table and make this a decent watch for families with younger children. You have to keep in mind that this is made for families, and what you get reflects that.

Tying in the Mexican culture is done in a seamless way that makes perfect sense. Alex learning to embrace his heritage, partly thanks to Chupa, adds in some heartwarming touches.

There are parts where the film drags for adults, although younger children will likely be entertained from the moment Chupa arrives to the end. There are some high stakes moments and a few hilarious ones. Sometimes it tries to do too much, but overall there will be an audience for this one. So if that is you, check it out on Netflix April 7th.

Rating: 2 out of 5

NEXT: Chupa Cast Interview

About Chupa

Shy 13-year-old Alex (Evan Whitten) flies from Kansas City to Mexico to meet his extended family for the first time. There he meets his grandfather and former lucha libre champion Chava (Demián Bichir), energetic, wrestling-obsessed cousin Memo (Nickolas Verdugo), and fearless, hip cousin Luna (Ashley Ciarra).

But just as Alex begins to get his bearings, he discovers a mythical creature living under his grandfather’s shed: a young chupacabra cub, which he recognizes from stories of the feared, full-grown chupacabra, fabled to feed on farmers’ livestock.

Alex soon learns that his new friend “Chupa” has a secret history with his family, and that dogged, dangerous scientist Richard Quinn (Christian Slater) is hunting the misunderstood creature to try and harness his powers. To protect Chupa from impending danger, Alex sets off on the adventure of a lifetime, one that will push the bonds of his newfound family to the brink, and remind him that life’s burdens are lighter when you don’t have to carry them alone.

Chupa hits Netflix on April 7th.