chupa movie review

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While visiting family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa's shed. To save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousi... Read all While visiting family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa's shed. To save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime. While visiting family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa's shed. To save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

• Jonás Cuarón
• Sean Kennedy Moore
• Joe Barnathan
• Marcus Rinehart
• Demián Bichir
• Christian Slater
• Evan Whitten
• 63 User reviews
• 41 Critic reviews
• 48 Metascore

Top cast 28

• Richard Quinn

• Dr. Juan Carlos Ortega

• Police Officer

• (uncredited)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia The announcement of the name was met with some criticism due to the word "chupa" being a slang term for fellatio in Spanish and Filipino.
• Goofs There is no way that Number plate of the car of Granddad Chava coming out on colliding with mom of Chupa. All four holes were intact, there were not torn or cracked or anything for the 4 bolts to get loose. There is no way of an animal colliding to the car from the front that will put enough force at correct places to make a properly secured number plate come unstuck. The director/ scriptwriter couldn't think of some plausible method of making Quinn come to know about Chava and his location.

Luna : You like sessos?

Alex : Yeah.

Alex : What are Sessos?

Luna : Brains.

• Connections Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 892: Air (2023)
• Soundtracks Bidi Bidi Bom Bom Written by Selena (as Selena Quintanilla) and Pete Astudillo Performed by Selena Courtesy of Capitol Latin under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews 63

• RedKidBytes
• Apr 8, 2023
• How long is Chupa? Powered by Alexa
• April 7, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Netflix Site
• New Mexico, USA
• 26th Street Pictures
• Pimienta Films
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 35 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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‘Chupa’ Review: A Terrifying Myth Made Cuddly

On a trip to his grandfather’s ranch in Mexico, a boy makes an astonishing discovery that turns into a family adventure.

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By Concepción de León

Alex is an outcast at his school in Kansas City — for the picadillo he brings for lunch (“It’s just hamburger meat,” he tells one bully), for the video games he plays, and for apparently being the only Mexican kid in the lunchroom.

At home, Alex (Evan Whitten) reacts by rejecting Mexican cuisine and refusing to learn Spanish. When his mother reminds him that he is heading to Mexico to visit his grandfather over spring break, he groans. But the trip surprises him, in no small part because of the adorable mythical creature, a baby chupacabra, he encounters in his grandfather’s barn.

Inspired by the Latin American legend of the bloodsucking creature, “Chupa,” directed by Jonás Cuarón, makes a family adventure out of a traditionally horrifying subject. Set in the late 1990s, the film follows Alex, his grandfather Chava (Demián Bichir), a former lucha libre champion, and his cousins Memo (Nickolas Verdugo) and Luna (Ashley Ciarra) as they try to protect Chupa from capture by an American scientist, Richard Quinn (Christian Slater). All the while, Alex learns to accept and embrace his roots.

Though the characters are charming and well-defined, it’s hard to become invested in their story lines because their relationships are not given enough time to develop. The stakes do not feel high enough, with Quinn seeming more like a cartoon villain than a true menace (it’s not clear what exactly he plans to do with Chupa). And though the concept is promising, and some moments are tender, one wishes the film had delved deeper into the chupacabra myth and the characters’ stories to make for a more satisfying watch.

Chupa Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. Watch on Netflix .

Concepción de León is a writer and book editor based in New York. More about Concepción de León

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Common Sense Media Review

Fantasy adventure has mythical beasts, peril, life lessons.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Chupa is a fantasy adventure set in 1990s Mexico directed by Jonás Cuarón (Alfonso's son) that focuses on a child of immigrants learning to appreciate his heritage and culture. Expect some violent and potentially frightening scenes, as well as themes of family, love, and loss…

Why Age 9+?

The full-grown chupacabra, which feeds off the blood of goats like a vampire, is

"Hell," "heck," "stupid," "scoundrel," and "loser."

1990s-era brands are glimpsed or mentioned, like the Beastie Boys, Jurassic Park

Any Positive Content?

Heritage is something to be proud of. Cultural differences should be celebrated.

Memo and Luna immediately embrace their English-speaking cousin as part of the f

The film is set in Mexico, where a young boy being raised in the United States b

Violence & Scariness

The full-grown chupacabra, which feeds off the blood of goats like a vampire, is depicted as a scary creature with retractable claws and wide wings, capable of stopping a moving vehicle. When scientists try to capture an adult chupacabra, the beast beats them back, knocking several people over. When it's hit by a car, it has to abandon its cub in the wild. References to a child's parent dying of cancer. They are also bullied and called names at school for being different (and Mexican). In one scary scene, they are attacked by a lion and nearly fall to their death. A grandparent has dementia and sometimes gets lost. Old footage of lucha libre wrestling shows people being knocked out in the ring. Reference to someone being thrown to the ground in a long-ago fight that left them in a coma with a skull fracture. A grandparent fights with their grandchild to teach them a lesson, but ends up getting hurt themselves. A scientist chases and threatens a group of people with a taser, and shoots tranquilizer darts at the chupacabras.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

1990s-era brands are glimpsed or mentioned, like the Beastie Boys, Jurassic Park, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pac Man. Also: Nike, Jansport, VW, Game Boy, Walkman, Mexicana, and various news outlets.

Positive Messages

Heritage is something to be proud of. Cultural differences should be celebrated. Speaking two languages is better than one. It's important to process grief and try to move on from loss. Family cares for family. Wild animals deserve preservation and care, not capture and destruction.

Positive Role Models

Memo and Luna immediately embrace their English-speaking cousin as part of the family. Chava is protective of his grandkids, as they are of him. They're all kind to and protective toward the abandoned chupacabra cub. Chava tries to help Alex process the grief of losing his father. Alex learns to be proud of his roots. Backed by profit-driven investors and a belief they can help humanity by capturing and harnessing power from the chupacabras, scientists risk lives in their pursuit.

Diverse Representations

The film is set in Mexico, where a young boy being raised in the United States by Mexico-born parents is sent for spring break to get to know his extended family better. There, he learns about various aspects of Mexican culture, including specific kinds of food, entertainment, and modern legends like the chupacabra. He learns to appreciate his heritage and second language, rather than be ashamed of them, as he has been back home in his all-White Kansas City school. He's bullied by White classmates for being different, called "taquito" and teased for the Mexican food he brings for lunch. He and his Mexican family members speak to each other in a mix of Spanish and English.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that Chupa is a fantasy adventure set in 1990s Mexico directed by Jonás Cuarón ( Alfonso 's son) that focuses on a child of immigrants learning to appreciate his heritage and culture. Expect some violent and potentially frightening scenes, as well as themes of family, love, and loss. The main character, Alex (Evan Whitten), lost his father to cancer and is dealing with grief. He's also bullied at school for being "different" (read: Mexican). In Mexico, his grandpa Chava ( Demián Bichir ) has dementia that the doctor says is progressing rapidly, and sometimes he goes missing. Alex is caught up in an adventure involving the discovery of an abandoned cub of an elusive, if not mythical, creature, the chupacabra. A group of scientists -- one of whom is played by Christian Slater -- are trying to capture the creature for their own profit and ostensibly to help humanity. They shoot tranquilizer guns at the creatures and chase them and the humans into perilous situations. But the creatures fight back. In one scene, Alex is nearly attacked by a lion and falls off a collapsing bridge into a deep canyon. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (11)
• Kids say (4)

Based on 11 parent reviews

Watch it! Kids will love it

Several scenes require subtitles, what's the story.

In CHUPA, 13-year-old Alex (Evan Whitten) is being raised by his Mexico-born mom in 1990s Kansas City. His dad recently passed away, and Alex is the target of bullies at school for being shy, and for being Mexican. Against his wishes, he's sent to Mexico to spend spring break with his extended family, including grandpa Chava ( Demián Bichir ), younger cousin Memo (Nickolas Verdugo), and older cousin Luna (Ashley Ciarra). He bonds with his cousins and discovers his grandpa was a famous wrestler who is now experiencing memory loss. One day Alex finds a strange creature on his grandfather's property. It's a chupacabra, a cub of the legendary creature. Meanwhile, scientist Richard Quinn ( Christian Slater ) is on the hunt for the cub and its family, hoping to harness their powers, and he'll stop at nothing to capture his prey.

Is It Any Good?

Jurassic Park meets E.T. and Gremlins in this sweet but imperfect Mexico-set kids adventure. Though Netflix has encountered some online teasing for the movie's title, which can have sexual connotations in Spanish, Chupa in the film is the innocent nickname a child gives to the cub of the legendary figure of the goat-blood-sucking chupacabra. The magic of the pink-and-blue feathered creature is one of the film's strengths, especially the adorable moments of boy-beast bonding. Chupa's parents might be fearsome, but the cub looks and sounds like a huggable stuffed animal. Charming scenes show Alex tearfully singing Chupa a lullaby his own deceased dad used to sing to him and telling the creature he doesn't have to be alone anymore -- "I'll be your family" -- and Chupa harnessing his own powers to save Alex.

The film's themes of love, loss, and family are layered into a tale of a first-generation Mexican American middle-schooler learning to appreciate his roots, a uniqueness that makes him an outcast back home. Veteran Bichir and newcomers Ciarra and Verdugo make an appealing family unit. A lot of worthwhile messages are delivered here, and some unique cultural aspects are highlighted, like the masked, acrobatic wrestling phenomenon of lucha libre. Mexican American audiences in particular may appreciate the celebration of Mexican culture seen through the eyes of a boy raised in the United States, as well as the mix of Spanish and English in the script. That said, there's nothing subtle in the way the film sets up and resolves the personal issues of the main character, nor in what he learns of Mexico. Though Slater appears to be having a ball, his bad guy scientist feels like an amalgam of other characters we've seen before on screen.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence and peril in Chupa . Did the fantasy elements reduce the impact? If so, why? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

Why did Alex reject his Mexican culture at the start of the movie? Did you understand his feelings? What did he learn during his visit to Mexico that seemed to change his attitude? What role did communication play in this change?

Talk about the legend of the chupacabra. Had you heard about it before? What other mythical creatures can you think of?

Did you think Quinn crossed a professional line in his pursuit of the chupacabra, or was he just doing his job? Were his intentions good or did he have other motivations?

The film is set in the 1990s. Where did you see the time period reflected in the movie?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : April 7, 2023
• Cast : Evan Whitten , Christian Slater , Demian Bichir
• Director : Jonas Cuaron
• Inclusion Information : Latino directors, Latino actors, Middle Eastern/North African actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Sports and Martial Arts , Friendship , Horses and Farm Animals , Middle School , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
• Character Strengths : Communication
• Run time : 95 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : some action, peril and thematic elements
• Last updated : August 25, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

Jurassic Park

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Netflix's 'Chupa' review: Bloodthirsty mythical beast gets the adorable Spielberg treatment

Creature features have a long, lucrative history in cinema, usually erring on the bloodier side of things . But Netflix 's Chupa takes a vampiric mythical beast and makes it the cutest little chirping koala-cat-griffin around, with a sprinkling of Spielberg on top.

Director Jonás Cuarón hinges his family-friendly fantasy film around the terrifying Latin-American legend of the chupacabra — the literal translation for the Spanish word "chupacabra" is "goat sucker." But instead of a horror film in which many a caprine soul is vanquished, Chupa is a sweet, thoughtful adventure about family, celebrating heritage, and flipping the bird to bad guys who'd pursue magical creatures for money.

What is Chupa about?

Set in 1996, Chupa centers around Alex (Evan Whitten), a 13-year-old kid from Kansas City who finds himself embroiled in a wild adventure while visiting family in Mexico. Alex stumbles upon a strangely adorable (and thankfully not too bloodthirsty) winged creature hiding in the barn of his abuelo Chava, a delightfully melodramatic former luchador played by Demián Bichir. The young chupacabra is all alone, afraid and separated from its family.

Alex and his cousins Memo (Nickolas Verdugo) and Luna (Ashley Ciarra) must keep Chupa safe from a conniving scientist who's working for some ambiguously no-good investors. As Richard Quinn, Christian Slater is middlingly evil, with some serious Alan Grant vibes; he's curious about Chupa as a scientist, but his employers have much more nefarious reasons for snagging the little critter.

Chupa takes a vampiric mythical beast and makes it adorable.

Of course, the real star of the show is Chupa itself. Cuarón and the visual effects team have created a very cute interpretation of the legendary being, rumors of which made an impression on the director as a child. "The chupacabras [were] first seen in the early '90s in Puerto Rico. After this, there were sightings of the creature all over Latin America... It was believed this creature fed on the blood of goats," Cuarón told Netflix's Tudum .

Instead of a hairless, blood-sucking monster, Chupa is a furry, chirping, chittering, cooing cub that's like a cat-meets-koala-meets-griffin, pouncing all over the joint before letting out deep, mournful howls for its mum.

Surprisingly for a creature feature, the film reveals the teeny tiny chupacabra almost immediately, with the first glimpse of the little feathered friend quivering and whimpering under the flashlights of the evil scientists. The film's opening scenes, in which the chupacabras are pursued by the bad guys, are reminiscent of monster movie expeditions like The Mummy , or the Sea Whip sequence in Shadow and Bone Season 2 — a group of bumbling intruders disturb a wild animal's lair intending to dominate or kill it. Right at the top, Chupa reminds us humans would inevitably treat magical creatures like absolute shite. 

Slater is fittingly PG evil as the antagonist. Chupa keeps it pretty vague as to who these bad guys are, exactly — just impatient investors wanting their valuable beastie caught and delivered. Slater leans into the whole moustache-twisting villain of it all as Quinn but keeps it clean for younger viewers. "Son of a..." is as curse-filled as this script gets.

Chupa delves into the power of family and embracing your heritage

One of the core themes running through Chupa is the disconnect between Alex's life and identity in America and his family heritage in Mexico. Cuarón establishes early in the film that Alex is being bullied at school and made to feel shame for his Mexican heritage in Kansas City, suffering racist taunts and harassment over things as everyday as his lunch. Alex brings this frustration home, taking his anger out on his mother and resenting the trip to San Javier, declaring, "I don't care about Mexico, OK? I don't care about the music. I don't care about the food."

Alex's renouncing of his Mexican heritage is steeped in social shame, as he laments, "No one speaks Spanish in Kansas City." He reactively plunges into seemingly all-American interests like Goosebumps, Beavis and Butthead , McDonalds, Jurassic Park , Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes , and video games — only to realise his young cousins in Mexico like the same things too. Luna chastises Alex when he's surprised she's obsessed with the Beastie Boys: "What? You think Mexicans only listen to mariachi?"

Throughout Chupa , Alex's trip to San Javier sees him slowly appreciating, then celebrating his Mexican heritage — including his abuelo Chava's fame as a famed lucha libre wresting legend. When Alex lands, Chava instantly speaks to him in Spanish and is disappointed to find his grandson doesn't speak it, despite his father's teaching attempts.

"He tried, I just didn't see the point," Alex says.

"What?" responds Chava. "That's your heritage, something to be proud of."

Chupa includes more than a few nods to Spielberg.

Chupa is undeniably drenched in what Mashable's Caitlin Welsh describes as "Amblincore" and the cinematic hallmarks of Steven Spielberg; if you're not thinking about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial while you're watching this, then you might want to revisit the director's 1982 classic. Alex's connection with Chupa in the barn, learning to sing and howl together, shares undeniable parallels with Elliott (Henry Thomas) and E.T., and Memo teaching the baby chupacabra to fly feels akin to Gertie (Drew Barrymore) teaching E.T. how to talk.

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Director Cuarón acknowledges Spielberg's influence on Chupra , too. "I’ve always been a huge fan of E.T. and believe that stories like that are so powerful because they play on the idea of kids being misunderstood by adults," Cuarón told Netflix's Tudum . "Chupa might be a monster but he's the only one that truly understands what Alex is going through. The bond between a boy and a creature is so pure, like with a pet, it transcends language."

Cuarón directly references the Hollywood director's work through props: Alex's room is stacked with action figures and posters from Jurassic Park , as well as a plush mogwai from Gremlins . Moments of Carlos Rafael Rivera's whimsical score sound almost identical to "Across the Stars," Anakin and Padme's theme from Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones by John Williams, Spielberg's longtime favourite composer. Plus, thanks to director of photography Nico Aguilar, Chupa is filled with both windshield shots and moments showing the cast in realisation, awe, or wonder, all of which could be considered nods to "The Spielberg Face":

As the evil scientist, Slater gets multiple little Spielberg moments: When pursuing the mama chupacabra and her pup in the film's opening, he picks up a claw in a moment that reeks of Dr. Alan Grant's (Sam Neill) velociraptor monologue in Jurassic Park . Later, when the clients helicopter in to check in on their investment, throwing Quinn's paperwork everywhere, it feels like a direct nod to John Hammond's (Richard Attenborough) dust-conjuring entry into the dig site.

One of Spielberg's signatures is also themes around absent fatherhood and loss (see: E.T. , Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , Hook ), and you'd better believe Chupa ticks that one off. Alex is mourning the loss of his father, which fuels his character's arc through the story to find support through his family.

Is Chupa worth watching?

Chupa is a very cute fantasy adventure and Spielberg-like creature feature that touches upon deeper themes of grief, heritage, and family. While it doesn't reinvent the genre, the film keeps it simple and effective, letting its cast create genuine connection with a CGI mythical beastie. Come for the sweet goat-sucker, stay for the genuinely heart-warming family moments.

Chupa premieres on Netflix April 7.

Topics Netflix Streaming

Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House . A Tomatometer-approved critic , Shannon writes about everything (but not anything) across entertainment, tech, social good, science, and culture.

‘Chupa’ Review: Jonás Cuarón Applies the Amblin Formula to a Fluffy Mexican Creature Feature

Three kids discover an endangered chupacabra cub in this cuddly family movie, which owes more to 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial' than it does to Guillermo del Toro's dark fantasies.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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According to legend, the chupacabra is a fearsome, blood-sucking beast — a lean and intimidating animal you wouldn’t want to come across feasting on your livestock at night. Not so the cub three kids nickname “ Chupa ” (Spanish for “sucker”) in Mexican director Jonás Cuarón’s family-friendly Netflix movie. This one looks like a fuzzy-wuzzy baby lynx, with inquisitive amber eyes and a pair of awkward azure wings it still hasn’t learned how to use. A single glimpse of this oversized kitten and you’ll want one for your own, if not the plush version to snuggle up with at night.

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The fact that his target audience isn’t old enough to remember movies like “E.T.” or “Harry and the Hendersons” means Cuarón and screenwriters Sean Kennedy Moore, Joe Barnathan and Marcus Rinehart are free to pinch from others in assembling their own would-be classic. For example, Christian Slater ’s character, Richard Quinn, was clearly inspired by Sam Neill’s iconic paleontologist, Alan Grant, sporting a similar fedora and specs when he’s first introduced in the field. Quinn’s obsessed with proving that chupacabras really exist, though he’s not interested in their well-being so much as their rumored healing powers, which he intends to sell to the American medical industry for a pretty profit.

Quinn gets pretty close to capturing a frightened chupacabra cub in the opening scene, but is blindsided by its angry mother. Both animals escape the cave where Quinn has cornered them, only to be badly wounded by a passing car. That’s where Alex comes in. None too keen to be banished to his grandfather’s boring farm, Alex is delighted to discover such an exotic companion, bonding with the newly christened “Chupa” in all sorts of adorable ways (including singing “En Tus Sueños” together in a nice nod to “Gremlins”).

The movie was produced by family-film vets Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, whose involvement with the “Harry Potter” franchise gave them plenty of experience with computer-generated critters. Cuarón embraces their benign, audience-appeasing instincts (as opposed to Guillermo del Toro’s darker sensibility), eliminating even the chance that chupacabras might hurt the Mexican characters — whereas the Bad American gets attacked by several at once. The director could use a bit more practice working with kids, who give stiff and slightly unnatural performances here (Ciarra seems the most comfortable on camera), to say nothing of the so-so visual effects, which favor cute over convincing where the CG chimera is concerned.

Despite its setting, the movie features majority-English dialogue. That’s a curious choice, since the entire adventure is intended to teach Alex to appreciate his Mexican heritage — and also because what “Chupa” had going for it was a willingness to tailor the fantasy-pet formula to Latino audiences. Who knows, the movie may actually play best to those who’ve never heard the word “chupacabra” and therefore have no expectations about what one might look like. But it also risks turning this half-bird, half-cat creature into the other sort of chimera: a dream that doesn’t quite come true.

Reviewed at Roma screening room, Los Angeles, April 4, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 95 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release and presentation of a 26th Street Pictures production. Producers: Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan. Executive producers: G. Mac Brown, Anna Barnathan Barry, Brendan Bellomo.
• Crew: Director: Jonás Cuarón. Screenplay: Sean Kennedy Moore & Joe Barnathan & Marcus Rinehart; story: Sean Kennedy Moore & Joe Barnathan & Marcus Rinehart & Brendan Bellomo. Camera: Nico Aguilar. Editor: Dan Zimmerman. Music: Carlos Rafael Rivera.
• With: Demián Bichir, Evan Whitten and Christian Slater, Ashley Ciarra, Nickolas Verdugo, Adriana Paz, Gerardo Taracena, Julio Cesar Cedillo. (English, Spanish dialogue)

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Chupa (2023) Review – a wholesome tale about family, heritage and cute mythical creatures

Even if you take the mythical away, this is a touching story about family, the importance of heritage, and the bonds that matter most to us. 

We review the 2023 Netflix film Chupa, which does not contain spoilers.

Netflix’s Chupa  is an adventure movie based on the legend of the chupacabra  (aka. the goat sucker) . Instead of a blood-sucking monster, the film, directed by Jonas Cuaron , delivers a heartwarming tale about a boy who befriends a mythical (and adorable) creature.

Even before the film came out, many Spanish and Portuguese-speaking netizens were amused, to say the least, by  the title . But the feature itself is nothing short of wholesome. 

Chupa Review and Plot Summary

The film starts with a group of scientists led by Richard Quinn ( Christian Slater ) as they’re exploring a cave in San Javier, Mexico, in 1996. They seem to have found what they were looking for – an adorable little chupacabra cub most said only existed in legends.

It’s a furry cat-like creature with wings and a face that will remind you of Gizmo from Gremlins (the water-free version, of course). 

Before Richard can grab the cub, his much larger and scarier mother appears, growls at the scientists, and runs for it, but Richard and his team give chase. After being hit by a car, the chupacabra is forced to leave her cub behind as she tries to distract the chasers from him. 

We then meet our lead, Alex (Evan Whitten) , a 13-year-old boy living in Kansas City with his mother. At school, he’s bullied for his Mexican heritage. Complicating things further, Alex is still grieving the loss of his dad, who passed away from cancer.

The boy is set to spend spring break at his grandad Chava’s (Demián Bichir) ranch in Mexico with his two cousins, Luna (Ashley Ciarra) and Memo (Nickolas Verdugo) , all relatives he’s yet to meet. 

At the ranch, Alex quickly befriends his two cousins and becomes intrigued by his grandad’s past career as a professional lucha libre champion wrestler. He learns that Chava has been struggling with a memory loss condition and that he has been secretly hiding the chupacabra cub in his barn.

READ: Best Movies on Netflix of All Time

T he young boy bonds with the little monster and names him Chupa, vowing to protect him from the evil scientist. 

There’s a lot to love about Chupa. To start with, the creature itself is beyond adorable. While the mythical beast it’s based on is a terrifying vampire-like creature, the Chupa presented in this film is simply part of a misunderstood species that needs protection from human interference. 

The story is pretty formulaic, but it’s also done well. Cuarón’s decision to set the film in the mid-90s gives it an air of nostalgia that will undoubtedly appeal to Millenial audiences.

There’s a depth to most of these characters, and it’s impossible not to root for them. Alex is struggling with the loss of his father and uses unhealthy coping mechanisms, while Chava has to deal with the loss of his son and his declining mental faculties.

Is the 2023 movie Chupa good or bad?

While there’s nothing new to the story of a child befriending a mythical creature and protecting it from evil adults, Chupa introduces this heartwarming trope to a new generation. And it does a great job with it.

It’s a good film with a fantastic cast (seeing Christian Slater in a villainous role is always a treat), an adorable rendition of the Chupacabra legend, and, most importantly, it tells a worthwhile story. 

Is Chupa worth watching?

If you’re willing to look past the title mishap, then Chupa  is worth streaming. And despite the aforementioned title mishap, the film is suitable viewing for the whole family.

There’s enough depth in it to keep the adults entertained and plenty of magic to keep the little ones captivated. 

What did you think of the 2023 Netflix film Chupa? Comment below.

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Article by Lori Meek

Lori Meek has been a Ready Steady Cut contributing writer since September 2022 and has had over 400 published articles since. She studied Film and Television at Southampton Solent University, where she gained most of her knowledge and passion for the entertainment industry. Lori’s work is also featured on platforms such as TBreak Media and ShowFaves.

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Chupa Reviews

Chupa is very well put together, nicely filmed and performed, pays homage to Spielberg early and often – and will engross the children on the couch for 95 minutes, no worries at all.

Full Review | Apr 18, 2023

The film is harmless fun handled well enough thanks to the young cast, solid work from Bichir, and this cuddly winged beast.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 16, 2023

While Chupa has a lot of heart and a touching bond between the kids and the creature, it falls short in terms of delivering consistent thrills.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 14, 2023

Chupa is not a perfect or even near-perfect film, but its genuine charm and attempt at being culturally-nuanced make it a film worth watching.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Apr 13, 2023

Mexican American audiences in particular may appreciate the celebration of Mexican culture seen through the eyes of a boy raised in the United States, as well as the mix of Spanish and English in the script.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 12, 2023

The characters in “Chupa” are likable and memorable, with a fun dynamic. And Cuarón... creates a rich sense of place here, encouraging the viewers to come to love Mexico as much as Alex eventually does.

Full Review | Apr 11, 2023

While there’s nothing new to the story of a child befriending a mythical creature and protecting it from evil adults, Chupa introduces this heartwarming trope to a new generation. And it does a great job with it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 11, 2023

Cuarón provides more than just a copycat. It's a soaring adventure film that provides the kind of entertainment for the whole family that has recently been farmed out to franchises.

Full Review | Apr 10, 2023

Despite having a recognizable cast and a promising plot, the film's execution fails to convey a memorable or transcendental experience. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Apr 10, 2023

An uneven and somewhat generic film, but it can be appreciated that it is made with honesty and innocuousness. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 10, 2023

While Chupa may not be perfect, it does offer plenty of cheer-inducing moments. With this much heart, it’s no wonder that Netflix continues to platform fun adventure films for younger audiences.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 8, 2023

You find yourself wondering if it restrains its more unique aspects by going one cliché too far, unable to see the depth of its young heroes past the hammy villain getting his inevitable comeuppance.

Full Review | Apr 8, 2023

It has the flavor of a south-of-the-border Amblin movie, aimed at kids, which makes some of the more clichéd elements forgivable.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 7, 2023

The little Chupa was so cute.

Full Review | Apr 7, 2023

A sweet but very minor movie.

“Chupa” willfully becomes one of those family films that takes plenty from the toy box of cliches left before and hardly gives anything back.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 7, 2023

There isn’t much to this that will appeal to anybody over the age of eight. But the film’s real sin is in how it shortchanges the legend and the Mexicanness of all this.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 7, 2023

A sweet, thoughtful adventure about family, celebrating heritage, and flipping the bird to bad guys who'd pursue magical creatures for money.

Chupa isn’t a perfect film, but it’s a really great kid’s movie that uses fantasy to tell a story about culture and family. With a scheming American scientist thrown in, the film is one I want every kid in my extended family to watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10 | Apr 7, 2023

Chupa is in a rush to get to the major points of its clichéd, predictable plot.