AllMovie

In the Mayan community fairs of the Yucatán Peninsula, the daring toreador offers a fleeting escape from the bleak realities of impoverished citizens. In this documentary from filmmakers Pedro González Rubio and Carlos Armella, the plight of a struggling toreador is explored in vivid and sometimes graphic detail. Self-destructive stuntman Fernando Pacheco's life-risking exploits in the ring serve to distract viewers and offer a fleeting moment of entertainment, and his tumultuous personal life at times mirrors the violence of his professional life. While González Rubio and Armella's lens is careful not to judge, audiences should be forewarned that this sometimes-disturbing documentary does contain footage of animal abuse and domestic violence that could trouble some viewers.