Headline: `Chupa’ is a predictable but sweet fa

Chupa is a cute family movie but it lacks an engaging plot. 

This Netflix movie is about a Mexican-American boy named Alex who rejects his heritage due to bullying at school. On a visit to his grandfather’s farm in San Juan, Alex connects with his family, learns to process suppressed emotions, embraces his heritage, and eventually befriends a chupacabra – a legendary folklore creature. 

The plot however, was pretty predictable so even the action scenes weren’t very exciting. 

Not much happened until about halfway through the movie and all of the action feels shoved into the last 10 minutes. It feels like the finale has arrived multiple times in the last couple of minutes, but more just keeps happening. 

It also would have been more engaging if Chupa had been more original. 

The creature’s role follows the same storyline as many other animal-based movies in which the creature is scared of humans, yet befriends the protagonist almost immediately. It doesn’t necessarily harm the plot, but the audience really would have fallen in love with the pair had Alex and Chupa first had to gain each other’s trust. 

The movie also could have developed Alex’s relationship with his cousins a lot better as there wasn’t much difference to their relationship besides the switch in Alexs’ personality. 

On the other hand, the movie does a better job developing his relationship with his grandfather and ends the movie on a really sweet note. 

Overall, the cinematography and visuals of the movie are beautiful, especially in the very first scene of the movie. It draws the audience in and leaves suspense for what will happen in the rest of the movie.  

However, nothing seems to progress apart from the beginning and end of the movie. In general, this is a pleasant movie with a great idea behind it, but the storyline is not very well-paced.