Clika

Clika Review: A regrettably weak Latin music biopic

Brighton Nelson

23 Jan 2026 — 3 min read

As somebody who loves Latin music and is close with the Latino community in my hometown, I was really rooting for this film's success and for it to be truly terrific. While seeing the really low review scores come in was disheartening, I was still crossing my fingers that I'd be going against the grain and enjoy this one. So, were my hopes satisfied, or was I left wanting more? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be exploring in today's review. Thanks for joining me, and I hope you enjoy!

Como siempre, let's start with the negatives. This film isn't even microwaved. It isn't even cooked con limón como ceviche. Frankly, it's so rushed and underbaked that it feels like eating carne de res, but completely raw. At only 80 minutes, it spends most of its runtime attempting to tell a story about a small town musician who has to sell illicit goods until he can make it big.

Regrettably, the film sets up no stakes or real consequences for the illegality. When he finally breaks into the zeitgeist, the film plays it off so inconsequentially, taking no time to pause and let it sink in before fading to black. It feels like the film had nothing to say or accomplish beyond having a start, a finish, a budget y un poco de las especias latinas. This is, unfortunately, one of those bad movies that is bad because it's barely a film; it's more of an intercutting of clips.

Without a real narrative or exploration of any characters or themes, it's usually hard to pinpoint what's good about a film. However, I do have to say that the dialogue and performances were fun, even if its fun was all baseline superficiality.

While it may be a disappointing representation for many in the Latino community—or even people adjacent to it, como yo—at least the script gives off fun, laid-back energy that really reminds me of the good old days when I lived in Eagle Pass, Texas. Also, the film's soundtrack is surprisingly solid, considering most of the film is full of flaws. It's not super memorable, but it's at least competent.

I may not have enjoyed the film, but I'm very happy it was successful at the box-office because I do want more films that explore personal stories in this space.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Unreel
The Reel Ranker Score: 40%
Letter Score: D
Star Ranking: 2 out of 5

Clika may be somewhat entertaining on a superficial level. Yet, its lack of a meaningful narrative and its inability to do justice to the characters make it a poor representation of the true beauty of Latin American culture and music, as well as the life of the man it's based off of.

Interested in checking out some other musical biopics or Spanish language films? Check them out below! These lists will update as soon as possible!