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Matador (1986)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 17
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 2

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 6.9/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 2

No consensus yet.

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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 9,645

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Movie Info

Once-great Spanish matador Nacho Martinez has been reduced to starring in gruesome "snuff" films. Martinez is idolized by Antonio Banderas, who has no notion of his idol's current illegal profession. Terrified at the thought of drawing blood in the bullring, Banderas nevertheless seeks out Martinez' assistance in preparing for a bullfighting career. To prove his "machismo", Banderas rapes Martinez' lady-friend Eva Cobo. No one will believe Banderas' confession of the rape, so he decides to

NC-17, 1 hr. 30 min.

Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

Directed By: Pedro Almod�var

In Theaters: Apr 7, 1986 Wide

On DVD: Dec 8, 2009

Cinevista/World Artists

It's a useful look at this Spanish auteur finding his way but lacks the elan of his later work.

September 22, 2006 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Bill Stamets

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

The movie looks terrific and is acted with absolute, straight-faced conviction by the excellent cast...

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

Murder, mutilation, suicide and rape...[are] just a few of Matador's popcorn-incompatible themes. But [Almodovar] swirls his cape over these chargers so imaginatively, shamelessly and inventively, his flamboyance wins the day.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

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Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

The sincerity here is of a special cracked sort -- the brand that induces laughter but is undiminished by it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

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Hal Hinson

Washington Post

Top Critic

A consistently audacious fantasy of sex and violence set in a modern-day Madrid where everyone is ready to surrender to his or her particular passions.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Salon.com

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Charles Taylor

Salon.com

Top Critic

follows a bizarre, but ultimately logical path

March 4, 2010 Full Review Source: Old School Reviews

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John A. Nesbit

Old School Reviews Source: Old School Reviews

The "prolonged orgasm" is Almod�var's format and tenor

August 26, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

fascinating and wonderfully lurid!

September 19, 2004 Comment

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

A richly detailed, physically gorgeous movie (Almodovar's most professional-looking work to that time) that almost has too much on its mind.

September 23, 2003 Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

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Audience Reviews for Matador

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Matador is quite serious for Almod�var. He's dropped all the trash and bad taste humour and replaced it with quite serious issues of sex and murder. It felt a little bit like a Gaillo film to me, albeit a Almod�var version of. Antonio Banderas really impresses here and you can see why it was turning point in his

October 27, 2011

Anthony Lawrie

Super Reviewer

An unlikely love affair emerges between two serial killers, one is a thrill-seeking ex matador and the other a gorgeous and twisted defense attorney. To say that a Pedro Almod�var film revolves around an odd set of circumstances is like pointing out that Yul Brenner is bald or that Truman Capote was gay. It's just

January 18, 2009