[3][4][5] Lt. Terrence Sneed, a San Francisco policeman, is summoned to Paloma, New Mexico to help take down a local organized crime syndicate led by kingpin Victor Manso, a respected community leader.

Soon after Sneed's arrival, he and Captain Frank Dolek stop a group of gangsters who ambush a courthouse and attempt to flee in a truck, but four officers are killed in the shootout.

Sneed and Native American detective John Tallbear break into Elliot's apartment and find cocaine.

While Sneed pleads innocence back at the police station, claiming that the cash was his own (having switched the incriminating notes with Oscar), Benedetto is shot dead by Tallbear, eliminating Berrigan's only witness.

Billy Dee Williams had become famous through his appearances in Brian's Song and Lady Sings the Blues.

"[8] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film one-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "Is he a crooked cop, or he is just grabbing some extra dough while doing his job?

If you can sit thru at least a dozen murders, assorted illegalities by both hoods and police, and the ubiquitous car chase, you will get an answer to the question.

"[10] Geoff Brown of The Monthly Film Bulletin declared that there is "no denying that at times The Take positively bristles with pace and professionalism: cars swerve about with tyres and sirens screaming, helicopters swoop, bullets sizzle and bodies fall—all captured with neatly feverish editing and a pounding soundtrack.