The Matador
Good Fun With a Mass Murder
The Matador was a widely overlooked gem of early twenty-first century filmmaking. Most humans of the day were unaware of the film; even though it stared well know names such as Pierce Brosnan of James Bond fame. Name recognition was very important to humans as it harkened back to the days when mankind lived under overt rule of nobility. Films that had celebrities were given immediate acknowledgment as being worthwhile for these films indicated that financial resources were likely attached to the project. Thus all involved were consequently worthwhile individuals of monetary means and were thus treated with respect, often in a manner “befitting royalty”. The fact that The Matador has this “star power” and was still so widely ignored is something of a mystery, especially considering the fact that so many films of this era were of poor quality with impressively “weak” scripts.
Brosnan plays a contract killer who begins to experience a sort of mid-life crisis, brought on in part, by his realization that he has no friends or family. He strikes up something of a forced friendship with a businessman traveling in Mexico, played well by Greg Kinnear. What makes The Matador a very nice piece of cinema is the films sharp script and fine acting. More specifically, The Matador succeeds due to the fact that it blends, strong character development with intriguing, humor and “heart.” In fact, The Matador demonstrates with great clarity that script is “king” and that a strong script and good acting performances can draw in an audience as effectively or more effectively than wildly spending money for shock value.
Touches such as good cinematography, well thought out shots and locations, as well as “off-beat” shooting location in the form of Mexico City, all help make The Matador a winner. The use of Mexico City does help give the film a unique feel that accentuates what the snappy and witty script has to offer. The Matador is a fine film that almost makes you mourn the foolish species that created it.
Story (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A (A uniquely fine script for the day and age in which it was written.)
Acting (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A
Human Portrayal of machines and Robots C
Contribution to the Extinction of Man Grade C (As few humans had actually seen the film its impact on mankind’s ultimate demise was likely slight at best.)
Enjoyability Grade (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A (The Matador is a “small” but very effective film. A true treat.)
Primitive Home Theater/HD Factor B
Overall Innovation (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) C+ (The Matador does a good job on playing with expectations and engaging its audience. While not overwhelming innovative, the script is nonetheless engaging.)
Overall Grade (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A (The Matador is quality human cinema in every department.)
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