Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni

In the opening scene of this thoroughly mindless action flick, a psycho holds a group of terrified hostages in a grocery store, and yells to renegade cop Marion Cobretti (Sylvester Stallone) that he's...( read more  read more... ) going to blow the place to kingdom come. "Go ahead," says the cop nicknamed "Cobra," presumably because he's tightly coiled and strikes with deadly force. "I don't shop here." And so it goes with this brutal and for the most part disgusting Stallone showcase, in which Sly's then wife, Brigitte Nielsen, provides bad acting and ample cleavage as a fashion model (what else?) who's the only witness against a crazed cult of serial killers. Cobra likes to kill first and leave the questions to his disgruntled superiors, who call on the maverick lawman when all other options have failed. This movie does have a modest following, and for what it's worth, a few of the action sequences are disjointedly exciting. --Jeff Shannon

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46% liked it

38,634 ratings

R, 1 hr. 27 min.

Directed by: George P. Cosmatos

Release Date: May 23, 1986

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DVD Release Date: July 3, 2001

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  • November 7, 2009
    The stereotypical 80's action flick.... violence, sex appeal, pop music and Stallone.

    its not like theres anything really going for it except the cool 80's factor and soundtrack, which was okay. Stallone once again mumbles his way through the movie as hard boiled cop Cobra, pro...( read more)tecting a witness played by the sexy Brigitte Neilsen who is being hunted by an army of psychos, hell bent on reforming the world order.

    It was a concept ahead of its time , funnily enough. XD I bet noone even considered psycho gangs going out as serial killers, but then again, we need an army of bad guys to pile up the body count, as thats why Sly does best. '

    Anyways, the movie is about coolness and badassness... and Cobra is a bad ass character with flaws. Like advising his partner on being too violent and lowering his sugar levels, to joking that his parents should have named him Alice. But then we have the bad ass look with the match in the mouth, the ivory handled pistol grip with a cobra emblazoned on it, the 1950 Mercury is one helluva car for a kick ass cop, and of course, his sub machine gun with laser sight. and dont forget the usual badass long coat. XD


    Anyways.... 3 stars for being a true cheesy 80's flick. Its so bad, it was good.
  • September 17, 2008
    Makes little sense, but I like the horror sensibility that permeates throughout.
  • May 3, 2008
    "This is where the law stops...and I begin!"


    It was never meant to be a brilliant Shakespearean drama, it was never meant to take itself too seriously and it was never made with the intention of making something groundbreaking...so take Cobra for what it is: S

    ...( read more)tallone in his prime with a gun in hand and a tonne of bad guys waiting for him to kill.


    The 80's action genre is one that I am a massive fan of; the simplicity of the plots and no complex plot turns means that you can sit back and have a fun time without experiencing anything that will alter your life.


    Stallone plays a veteran cop nicknamed Cobra who is part of the "zombie squad". Cobra is renowned for his quick and violent dispatches of those who deserve it. As the film opens we are made fully aware of this as he uses guns and cheesy one-liners. A serial killer rattles the city with a series of killings of random civilians. Cobra isn't allowed to be a part of the investigation, but doesn't take 'no' for an answer.


    Of course, this serial killer plot is an excuse to fill the screen with non-stop violence, and let the body count rise in traditional Stallone style. The plot is thin and pretty much dissipates as the film becomes nothing more than an entertaining slaughter and mindless entertainment.


    Of course Stallone's performance is far from perfect (in fact it's quite terrible in places) but he is in great shape and delivers the action we've come to expect from these kinds of movies. Like Arnie, Van Damme and Chuck Norris; Sly loves the formula of making wafer thin plots with lame one-liners and awesome action. He does not disappoint on this front.


    It's very predictable as well, not to mention the startling number of conventional characters that appear. For example Stallone is the only intelligent cop, all the rest of the police on the force are complete dummies. The film is also highly clichéd and contains an array of quite embarrassing performances.


    Director George P. Cosmatos teams up with Sly once again to create a very Rambo reminiscent production. If this film was marketed as a Rambo sequel and had battles of a larger scale then you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It's films like these that got Stallone type-cast. Films as mindless and as entertaining as Cobra are just never released anymore these days.


    Full of violence, action and gore; in short, if you love action movies then hire this one without hesitation. Lots of fun, but it's not a masterpiece.

  • February 17, 2008
    Oh oh, something tells me this might have a sequel in a near future. Considering Stallone wants to revive every single character/movie he has made. So start getting ready for another Demolition Man flick, another Over the Top, and another...Stop or My mom will shoot.

    Maybe i don...( read more)'t miss the 80's that much.
  • November 25, 2007
    As silly a cop thriller as you're likely to see. It's difficult to decide who's the most brainless here: the Police Department, who can't tell the difference between a lone serial killer and a gang of psycho bikers, even when Stallone gets into a car chase with, wait for it, TWO ...( read more)other vehicles; the gang leader, who decides the best way to protect his identity is to make ever more high profile and outrageous attacks on the witness who can identify him; or Stallone's maverick cop, who lets said witness fend for herself at the climax while he goes off wasting gang members. This outdoes most Schwarzenegger movies of the period for appalling one-liners, too.
  • September 22, 2009
    de las mejores de accion de la vieja escuela
  • September 15, 2009
    Marion Cobretti. Chews on matches. Cuts pizza with a pair of scissors. Has sex with Mrs. Flava-Flav. Ewwwww.
  • September 15, 2009
    this just seemed like a bunch of guys got together and put together a movie that would be "the coolest movie ever made man!".

    in truth... they were probably right.

    a guy whole 'checks his files' by throwing photos on the floor and drives around likes he is in america graffiti.
    ...( read more)
    (punch) no hard feelings.
  • August 14, 2009
    Such A reble haha XD i thot this was going to be boring , boy was i wrong !
  • July 10, 2009
    This is Stallone answer to terminator. Its Roughneck,Barbaric,Dark and dangerous,Sometimes violent just for the aske of being violent.Cobra is a crude tale, and a border line horror.

    Cobra is cool, Stallone is great at being the anti-hero or good guy with an edge but this type...( read more) of stuff is pretty worn out ever since lethal weapon and the days of die hard. Its definetly old school and if your a fan of that then Cobra is a must have and a major milestone for Stallone.
    If you like in your face action, thriling chase scenes and murder victims
    this is where its at. 80s action was all about tough guys and hot chicks.
    Well that is if you count Bridgeete Neilson. This is definetly a gun glory.
    Perhaps this movie is even responsible for the cliched Act 3 of a horror or action movie wherein the good guy chases the bad guy into a steel mill and they slug it out. Classic.
    Right up there with Terminator but not quite as impactful.

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Comments


  • rambo12345678910
    October 28, 2007
    best movie
  • stallonefan1
    July 23, 2007
    Cobra is a Classic Stallone Actioner in which he plays a Cop taking on A Gang of ruthless killers.Great Action Scenes as Sly is sent in to take them on and protect a witness (Brigiette Nielsen).The running time is a little short but they dont make Really Good Action Movies like Cobra anymore and u gotta love his name Marion Cobretti--Too Cool! One of my Fav Movies...

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Cobra Trivia


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