ChikaBOOM! (2026) – Review and Summary | Tribeca Film Festival

ChikaBOOM! is a reminder that maybe every piece of art, doesn’t need to have a deeper meaning.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on Hours Updated on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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“ChikaBOOM!” Film Details

Movie Summary

Chika badly wants to be a magician like her dad, Arnie, but because it doesn’t come easily, she gets frustrated. So, with her father having a whole closet full of magic, she decides to look for a shortcut to get good, but the magical being she releases, Kaboom, makes it clear she is by no means ready for the magic that requires her to be on her father’s level.

Cast and Characters

Chika (Yara Shahidi)

  • Character Summary: A young girl who wants to be a magician like her father, but is frustrated because it doesn’t come easily.

Kaboom (Natasha Lyonne)

  • Character Summary: A magical being, usually kept in a jar, that lives in Arnie’s closet.

Arnie (Daveed Diggs)

  • Character Summary: A second-generation magician with many talents who is raising his daughter, Chika.

Review and Commentary

On The Fence

It Feels Like It Is Missing Something [74/100]

ChikaBOOM! is like most animated productions in terms of looking cute and vibrant. But, unlike a lot which embed lessons that are good for both adults and children, maybe might even make you cry, ChikaBOOM! feels a bit basic.

Note, it does push hard work and not taking shortcuts, for there are lessons and skills that can be missed going that way. This is important for any kids who may see this, but that is a lesson a lot of animated productions have. What makes this one special?

Unfortunately, the only thing I can think of is the famous names who voice act for it. Yes, Chika is adorable, with a possible quirk regarding her teeth. Kaboom could easily become merchandise that sells well. But it still feels like something is missing, and the only thing I can think of is that it lacks heart.  

Overall

Our Rating (74/100): Mixed (Divisive)

ChikaBOOM! is certainly child-safe and has valuable lessons. But, throw it in amongst all its peers, and it isn’t really remarkable. As there is a growing amount of cartoons starring Black kids, especially girls, it loses that sparkle of glitter. Being set in a city? Nothing special there. Chika’s dad being a magician? That’s different, but again, with so many options, it doesn’t feel like enough.

Hence the mixed label. I want to, especially as a Black person, want to love, adore, and praise ChikaBOOM! but with scarcity waning, it means higher expectations. Leading to the divisive feeling of recognizing, ultimately, this is for kids, but also knowing there are movies, shows, even shorts, which do a lot of what this has better, without the lean of celebrities to help bolster it.

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.