The Matador

Depending on your point of view, bullfighting is either a classical art form or an exercise in savage cruelty protected by the trappings of tradition. Regardless, El Fandi (the ring name of world-renowned bullfighter David Fandila, the documentary’s subject) is certainly a master of his craft. While the corridas themselves are fairly engrossing—as any unpredictable situation with the prospect of a gory death or maiming will be—The Matador suffers from a very predictable, almost staged quality when capturing Fandila’s unsequined life outside the ring. Dare we call it bullshit?