RELEASED TO TV IN 2013 and directed by Terry Ingram, the curiously titled "Chupacabra vs. the Alamo" details events in the San Antonio, TX, area when DEA agents (Erik Estrada, Julia Benson & Vanesa Tomasino) team-up with Hispanic outlaws in order to wipeout packs of rabid chupacabras. Jorge Vargas plays the estranged gang-oriented son of the head DEA agent (Estrada).'Chupacabra' is a Spanish word, which literally means "goat-sucker" (from chupar "to suck" and cabra "goat"). There are two varieties of the cryptozoological beast: (1.) a reptile-like creature with leathery/scaly greenish-gray skin and sharp spines or quills running down its back; and (2.) a hairless form of canine with a pronounced spinal ridge and prominent eye sockets, fangs, and claws. This movie features the second version.This is basically Hispanic TV horror with CGI chupacabras getting wiped out en masse. The movie starts serious, but becomes increasingly humorous as it moves along, particularly the second half. The first half is more engaging due to the human interest, which segues into the dynamic, but less interesting second half where there's an explosive (Surprise!) showdown at the Alamo.Estrada is in perfect shape at 63 years-of-age during filming (looking almost 20 years younger) and is stalwart as the hero. Benson is reminiscent of Sean Young when she was younger and has a marvel-inducing face & full head of brunette hair, but she needs to gain like 15-20 lbs. Nicole Muñoz & Anja Savcic as the Estrada character's daughter and her bestie are cute. Tomasino is adorable in her own unique way as well.THE MOVIE RUNS 88 minutes and was shot in San Antonio, Texas. WRITERS: Peter Sullivan & Jeffrey Schenck.GRADE: B-/C+

Some grisly murder victims are found in San Antonio, Texas. Turns out they are being killed by chupacabra. If you haven't seen this Syfy TV movie yet, you may be wondering what chupacabra is/are and how the inanimate Alamo is able to fight anything. For one thing, chupacabra are vicious dog-like creatures. Animated and hungry, they are called an "urban legend" by veteran motorcycle cop and present DEA agent Erik Estrada (as Carlos Seguin), but he changes his mind. The former "CHiPS" TV series star has added several pounds and years, but kept his gritty teeth and grimace. Presently, he is the widower father of two ungrateful children – gangbanger son Jorge Vargas (as Tommy aka "Spider") and bratty daughter Nicole Munoz (as Sienna). In what may or may not be political subtext, the blood-thirsty hounds are from Mexico. Finally, the Alamo does not do battle with the chupacabra as promised in the title; instead, Estrada's team and the chupacabra have a showdown at the landmark.** Chupacabra vs. the Alamo (3/23/13) Erik Estrada, Julia Benson, Jorge Vargas, Vanesa Tomasino

The title is great and the idea was intriguing, so there was potential to be had in Chupacabra vs. The Alamo. Sadly, its potential that was never really met. While Chupacabra vs. The Alamo is not a good movie and has much of what is so wrong with SyFy's movies in the first place, it was not terrible either and SyFy have certainly done much worse. There are things that are done decently, there is some energy to be seen, the music is not too generic or overbearing and the acting from Erik Estrada and Julia Benson is better than average. The rest of the acting ranges from over-the-top to bland, Aleks Paunovic doesn't have much worthwhile to do and the role is rather strange. And Nicole Munoz badly overdoes the stereotypical bratty daughter character, who is written in such a way that you actually want to strangle her. Chupacabra vs. The Alamo is also the sort of movie that screams of a Danny Trejo cameo but never happened. In all fairness though, the actors do have to work with really clichéd and clunky-sounding dialogue and characters that have no development or likability to them(there's an effect of them being there only for the sake of them having to be there as part of the movie). The pacing is somewhat uneven, there is energy of course, but it can also get rather erratic, especially in the attack scenes, while the melodramatic moments and how the story unfolds takes too much time to do so. The story is to be polite utter nonsense, it also takes too much time to build up(90 minutes or so in until they reach the Alamo), the attacks are not very inventive or memorable instead coming across as predictable and too hurriedly edited, and it is really bogged down by the melodrama. While there are worse-looking movies from SyFy, Chupacabra vs. The Alamo is not really that well-made. The settings are drab and not that much different from many other SyFy movies from the same genre, and the editing is too choppy and frantic. The CGI for the dogs looks horrible, and the dogs themselves are too cute and indifferently designed to be taken seriously as menacing antagonists, which is another reason why the impact of the attacks were diminished as much as they were. And I also did not like the use of the green-screen shots for the parts with the motorcycle, they look amateurish, look out of place and are over-used. On the whole, there is definitely worse to be seen but even when you know what to expect this was an example of good potential wasted by mediocre at best execution. 3.5/10 Bethany Cox

Omg this movie was the best I have ever seen!The effects just blew my mind, along with the incredible acting and emotional lines.I am watching it now and I'm on the edge of my seat longing to know what will happen!I highly recommend this to ANYONE who enjoys heart warming, action filled, Gory, adventurous films!The motorcycle effects were so awesome! It's amazing how they made all those effects on such a low budget,JK It's pretty bad and really boring