is there any scenes of animal cruelty?

This film is about the greatest bullfighter in history. Have you ever seen videos of bullfights? They are some of the last hold overs from Ancient Roman games. They are important to the history and culture of Spain and Mexico. The bullfighter uses instruments that pierce the skin at the back of the bulls neck, as well as a sword to kill the animal. He might also cut the ear off as a souvenier. If you can't handle that, I suggest you don't see the film... even though they may use CGI effects for the fights.

On the other side of the coin.... animal cruelty may not be the most graphic part of this film. This is one of the most dangerous of all "sports". Manolete was injured seriously more than once in the ring by an angry bull. I won't even mention how he died and no doubt, this movie will want to tell that tale, as well.


"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown!"

I read where there will be alot of CGI in the film and no real bull will be killed. In fact I read where PETA was going to endorse the film???

NO TOTALLY NOT. There isn´t any cruelty with the animal, the "banderillas" is in 3D, like the blood.

I don't think so. A movie about bullfighting depicting harm to bulls? What sense would that make?

Just to clear some things up. First, bullfighting has an enormous acceptance, and forms part of the culture of many countries. In South America, just to name a few: Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia... In Europe: Spain, France, Portugal. So it's not just reminiscent of only one country.
Someone with issues on animal cruelty, would surely not feel comfortable watching a movie on this topic. So, yes there is animal cruelty... just as there is in fox-hunting, any type of hunting as such, killing whales, etc. Please don't turn this into a moral issue. I'm spanish and I don't like bullfighting; but I do understand that what lies behind it, is not merely torturing an animal to death for the sake of it. It's rather a form of art...... you may like it or not. The bulls involved are bred with the only intention of being used in this event.
As far as there being a real bullfight in the film - are you serious? The danger involved in this is huge. This is partly some of the attraction of bullfighting. It's obvious that an actor wouldn't be exposed to this huge danger. It's only logical to think that those scenes are not real. Adrien Brody did recieve advice from some well-known spanish bullfighters though.
I don't know what the final outcome of the film will be. It tells the history of one of Spain's greatest figures in bullfighting. It's actually in a great part, a love story (with Lupita). Just like many other films, having been made depicting the lives of many other reknowned figures. One particular curiosity is that Adrien Brody is physically extremely alike the real Manolete.

Animal cruelty will be depicted, as bullfighting is the torture and murder of an animal, as a previous poster said, for "art".
However, it seems it will all be simulated, which is certainly better for the bulls! If you are generally against cruelty to animals, you should weigh out whether or not you think the movie is glamorizing this cruelty.

To answer the original question: As far as I'm concerned, there were no scenes of animal cruelty. No bulls died or were shown bleeding, etc.