A Bullet For Sandoval represents a distinctly dark take on the spaghetti western genre. The script is awash in tragedy and grim emotions from the first reel and it never offers the viewer a clear-cut sense of morality: the hero turns vicious, the villain is vulnerable in his private life and the two pursue each other no matter what it costs those around them. Director Julio Buchs maintains a despairing mood throughout and makes the action scenes more brutal than exciting. Ernest Borgnine isn't the most convincing choice for a Mexican patriarch but he delivers an intense, often menacing performance. George Hilton is less successful as the anti-hero because he is sometimes unable to deliver the emotionalism the character requires but he does decent work overall. The end result doesn't quite live up to its ambitions but when A Bullet For Sandoval works, it can be pretty devastating - and this makes it worth a look to those who adore the spaghetti western genre.