While Gored raises some intriguing points about how matadors face death every time they step into the ring, it fails to explore fully why it is they do it. Bull fighting is a controversial custom, something only referenced by a brief clip of some protesters.

There are a few uplifting moments where Antonio comes back from the edge to finish his fight, but there are only so many times you can watch a man get gored before you stop sympathising. It’s not Antonio’s life that’s interesting, it’s bullfighting – instead, what we get is countless metaphors about death.

What could have been an interesting look at a controversial custom instead falls flat, and unintentionally raises the question: why is bullfighting still going on at all?

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Ido Mizrahy

WRITER: Ido Mizrahy, Geoffrey Gray

 SYNOPSIS: Documentary following the story of Antonio Barrera, the most gored matador in history, as he faces his final fight. 

About The Author

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Sian is a writer and performer based in South East London, who sometimes puts on plays and sometimes tells jokes. She’s been writing articles since she was about 14 and her dad took her to film screenings and made her bring a notebook. The first film she ever saw was Hercules during which she filled her nappy, which her dad deemed ‘an adequate review.’ She’s been filling her nappies in cinemas ever since.