The Story Would Have Worked Better As A Traditional Western

In Siete en la Mira, a biker gang, all wearing too much make-up, ride into a small Texas town. The sheriff (Mario Almada) tries to take a light handed approach, suggesting that the gang move on. However, when a biker rapes and accidentally kills a local woman, a deputy steals an illegal gun from a local mechanic and executes the assailant. The gun leads back to the innocent mechanic who is promptly arrested. The arrest does not satisfy the rest of the bikers. They take over a bar and a school, threatening to kill those inside the establishments if the mechanic is not turned over to them. The sheriff has to deal with the bikers, the hostages, and restless townspeople.

The basic plot elements could have been made as a traditional western, with horses and outlaws. This approach would have worked better. In the 1980's, the sheriff should have picked up the phone and called for help from the state police and maybe federal agents. The town would not have been as isolated in 1984 as it would have in 1884. The film does play with the western genre. The sheriff uses a bullwhip to kill one of the bikers. The film also has a final showdown where one character has to outdraw another.

I am not well versed in Mexican popular cinema. I have seen a couple masked wrestling films and a few of the 60's horror films released on DVD from Casa Negra. I do know that Siete en la Mira is slow going for the first half and the action in the second half is not very well staged. Also, some of the plot elements are just confusing. Why does the deputy need to get someone else's gun to kill a biker who had raped and murdered the townswoman? For that matter, why does he go after this gun instead of trying to stop the biker from raping the woman (he can see the couple through a window)? Why are the police so impotent to stop less than a dozen bikers?

Siete en la Mira seems to have a small cult following, but I don't see why. It is certainly not in the same league as second tier biker exploitation films like Northville Cemetery Massacre or Mad Foxes, let alone a classic like Mad Max.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

A small town is under siege by a gang of ruthless bikers.

Fernando Almada and Mario Almada in Siete en la mira (1984)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Siete en la mira, 2da. parte: La furia de la venganza

Siete en la mira, 2da. parte: La furia de la venganza (1986)

Fernando Almada and Jorge Reynoso in Siete en la mira (1984)

Fernando Almada, Mario Almada, Eleazar Garcia Jr., and Jorge Reynoso in Siete en la mira (1984)

Siete en la mira

Photos3

Top Cast23

User reviews5

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed