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Cobra

  • 1986
  • R
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
83K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,017
629
Sylvester Stallone in Cobra (1986)
Trailer for Cobra
Play trailer1:27
1 Video
99+ Photos
Serial KillerActionCrimeThriller

A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far-reaching plans.A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far-reaching plans.A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far-reaching plans.

  • Director
    • George P. Cosmatos
  • Writers
    • Paula Gosling
    • Sylvester Stallone
  • Stars
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • Brigitte Nielsen
    • Reni Santoni
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    83K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,017
    629
    • Director
      • George P. Cosmatos
    • Writers
      • Paula Gosling
      • Sylvester Stallone
    • Stars
      • Sylvester Stallone
      • Brigitte Nielsen
      • Reni Santoni
    • 339User reviews
    • 136Critic reviews
    • 25Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Cobra
    Trailer 1:27
    Cobra

    Photos199

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    Top cast54

    Edit
    Sylvester Stallone
    Sylvester Stallone
    • Marion Cobretti
    Brigitte Nielsen
    Brigitte Nielsen
    • Ingrid
    Reni Santoni
    Reni Santoni
    • Gonzales
    Andrew Robinson
    Andrew Robinson
    • Detective Monte
    Brian Thompson
    Brian Thompson
    • Night Slasher
    John Herzfeld
    John Herzfeld
    • Cho
    Lee Garlington
    Lee Garlington
    • Nancy Stalk
    Art LaFleur
    Art LaFleur
    • Captain Sears
    • (as Art La Fleur)
    Marco Rodríguez
    Marco Rodríguez
    • Supermarket Killer
    • (as Marco Rodriguez)
    Ross St. Phillip
    • Security Guard
    Val Avery
    Val Avery
    • Chief Halliwell
    David Rasche
    David Rasche
    • Dan
    John Hauk
    • Low Rider
    Nick Angotti
    • Prodski
    Nina Axelrod
    Nina Axelrod
    • Waitress
    Joe Bonny
    • Policeman #1
    Brad Bovee
    Brad Bovee
    • Innocent Bystander
    • (as Bradley Bovee)
    Kevin Breslin
    Kevin Breslin
    • Supermarket Kid
    • Director
      • George P. Cosmatos
    • Writers
      • Paula Gosling
      • Sylvester Stallone
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews339

    5.883.4K
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    Featured reviews

    Kryptik Kritik

    Rambo watch out

    I do believe that "Cobra" first-appeared in theaters after the three or four Rambo films came out.This is definitely not Stallone's worst Film. It was deemed as one of the most violent, offensive mainstream movies of its era (1986) however it's a great flick for fans of exploitive films. After all how can you shy away from lines like: "You're the disease. I'm the cure." "This is where the law stops, and I begin." And there are some members from the old "Dirty Harry" cast, like Andrew Robinson, who played the vicious serial killer. Anyhow, it's worth the time to waste to catch it on cable or rent for 50 cents.
    6slightlymad22

    A Missed Opportunity

    Continuing my plan to watch every Sly Stallone movie in order, I come to Cobra.

    Plot In A Paragraph: Cobra (Stallone) a tough cop, who does things his own way, must protect a witness from a murderous gang led by the Night Slasher

    This was Sly's attempt at a Dirty Harry type movie/franchise (right down to the opening, outright ripping off Magnum Force's opening) However an out of control ego (Its rumoured none of the supporting cast or crew were allowed to talk to Stallone during filming, insisting on his then wife being the female lead) and an attempt to make more money costs the movie dear.

    The original cut over the movie was over 2 hours long. Due to concerns it might not be a hit, the final cut was 84 minutes, thereby increasing the number of screenings per day. Some of the more violent scenes were also cut to get a lower rating. A lot of plot was either removed or sped up while most of the violence and nearly every death was edited or depicted off-screen, resulting in numerous continuity errors and plot holes.

    We never find much out about the axe banging cult (a mix of business men in suits and tough bikers who all brandish the same tattoo) or the "New World" that the main villain talks about. What we do get is a lot of montages, with Sly looking tough and moody behind his shades or cool and moody behind his shades. Stallones new wife (Bridgette Neilson) isn't left out either, she gets a solo montage of her modelling various outfits during a photo shoot.

    George P Cosmotos (Rambo: First Blood Part 2) was directing Stallone again, and (like in their previous collaboration) he does a good job of making Stallone look good. Which, along with the fact that Stallone could control him, is probably why he was hired. The movie is based on the novel 'Fair Game', once Stallone had rewrote it (which seems to be a bad habit of his) it bears zero resemblance to the source novel.

    Whilst it has a few good lines, most of the dialogue is awful, and it is poorly acted by most of the cast, and the less said about some of the editing the better!! Stallone does what he does best, (although the one man army works well with Rambo, it's laughable here) and looks cool doing it. But this is an average, forgettable 80's flick at best, when it could have been so much more.
    5fertilecelluloid

    Some brilliant sequences jammed between the mediocrity

    George Cosmatos, the director of the dim-witted RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART 2, directs this schizophrenic exercise in style with some aplomb.

    The title sequence is simply stunning. DOP Ric Waite's images exist in some sort of surreal world that the film can't possibly contextualize. At magic hour, a bad guy on a motorcycle is intercut with ludicrous but gorgeous images of other bad guys (in suits, no less) ritualistically banging axe handles together in some underground warehouse in Los Angeles in time with a dark, brooding synth score

    The sequence that follows, a madman's bullet-ridden assault on a supermarket, is again stunningly shot and staged and a triumph of style over anything you want to name.

    Once these bravura sequences have passed, mediocrity and Hollywood Plotting 101 cuts in and we're pulled back into a dull reality.

    But don't fret. Sit tight for long enough and you get an enthusiastically staged car chase with ducks, machine guns, classic cars bursting from buildings, a Santa who comes close to being roadkill and badly uttered Stallone lines.

    Fast forward then to the film's climactic shootout on motorcycles and you're left with an action film that spends forty minutes doing everything right.

    Stallone emotes with cruise control and his wife-at-the-time Brigitte Nielson just wears the clothes and moves from first position to second.
    senin777

    beautiful script!

    I'm very bad in english, i'm from Russia. But I'm fun of Stallone and don't keep silently. This film - classics! It don't have spare! All in it working for result. It's action in last type. In Russia, we have saying: all genius - simply. It's about this film. "Cobra" - as your picture at the wall - nice for your eyes. Sorry for my bad english! Now I'm go to gim - i want to be strong as Cobretti. Arnold and Van Damm, and Sigal - stupid before Stallone! They never made such beautiful script!
    SuperfluousChap

    Do you have a lifejacket?

    This picture is classic 1980s action at its best and most cliche. My favorite scene is right at the top of the movie. Cobra is in a supermarket, on the trail of a guy who's killing safeway employees for fun. Cobra's in pursuit. He passes a 6-foot display case of Coors light. Stops. Cracks a can. Takes a sip. Tosses it on the floor. Continues in pursuit.

    It reminds me of another 80s action flick few will remember called the Punisher with Louis Gossett Junior. Some dufus is carrying pizza into the torture chamber where LGJ is getting it. EXCEPT HE'S NOT GETTING IT, guys. He's already knocked the guy out with a punch and a pressure point maneuver. Then, Gosset neutralizes the pizza guy. But rather than let the pizza, which is all over the floor, go to waste, he kneels down, takes a couple of pieces, bites, then leaves the room as though nothing has happened.

    I learned a lot from Cobra and Stallone's character, Marion Cobretti. First, I need to get a "nitro" option on my car so I can go as fast as he did. Second is a great line to reel in the girl, next time you're out on a date and she's using too much catsup on her fries.

    "Do you have a lifejacket?" "Why" "To save all the french fries that are drowning."

    This movie is a classic for 80s action lovers. I own the DVD and highly recommend it.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A very rare workprint of the movie has circulated among fans. Although most copies are poor quality, it has 30 to 40 minutes of footage not available in any other version. It also has all of the X-rated material removed from the final release.
    • Goofs
      In the scene where he bumps the "hispanic gangsters" car to park his car and he argues with them, and tell them "he's bad for their health" he rips the mans white undershirt and a taped lapel mic is clearly visible on the mans chest, and again in a subsequent scene
    • Quotes

      Marion Cobretti: You're a disease, and I'm the cure.

    • Alternate versions
      In early 1990's, a different version of Cobra was broadcast on TV. Here is the list of differences between normal version and TV edit: 1.Opening hostage scene: Alternate shot when gang member shoots with his shotgun. He shoots 2 times on fruits, but in TV cut one of these is close up shot of fruits exploding. Alternate dialogue. TV Cut - "You lookin at the brave hunter!" DVD Uncut - "You lookin at the fuckin hunter!" Close up of knife in gang members belly is cut. Line: "Don't listen to this asshole" from Gonzalez is cut. 2.Cobra arrives home: Extra few seconds dialogue scene during the Cobra's argument with low rider. Cobra turns around and says something like: "Don't dirty America, keep it clean." Cobra talks briefly with old janitor: "How you doin'? You're doing really good job here," then crosses woman coming down the stairs with her dog, checks his mailbox and goes to his apartment. Song "Suave" is playing longer in this extended scene. 3. Aftermath of first murder: Extra scene after the first Nightslasher murder in which young Asian kid brings box in police station. Cop tells the kid to stay inside and go pick himself one of the toys from the box on the other side of the room. While kid is checking the toys, cop takes the box and sees blood dripping from bottom. He then receives a phone call in which Nightslasher says something like: "Her hands are with you, but her soul is in the new world." Cop tells some other cop to trace the call and scene cuts to the regular autopsy scene. 4. Gang during the day: After Cobra shoots paper target, an extra scene is shown. Nightslasher is at his day job cutting fish in some factory, sniper guy is working in some garage and there is a shot of him looking at electric wires. In the police precinct where Cobra shoots the target, a side view of some police officers' hands and forearms is shown while they are shooting paper targets. One of them is shown with the gang's tattoo, a skull with axes, on his forearm. Couple shots of gang performing their "axes and hammers" ritual are also shown. Music during these scenes is the same one that was used for opening credits. 5. Ingrid in the studio/parking lot attack: In the photo studio, Ingrid is asked to go to a party, but she refuses. Rashe, the photographer, talks with her a bit, and Ingrid requires a security guard to go with her to her car because she feels nervous. Death scene of guy with the glasses is cut. Death scene of security guard is cut. He is not shown getting hit by the van. 6. Slasher's place/Hospital: Shot of Nightslasher cutting his finger is cut. Alternate dialogue: TV Cut - "Friggin' liar." DVD uncut - "Fucking liar" 7. Attack on Cobra: Extended version of apartment attack. Sniper arrives in the car, guy on the street looks at Cobra's place and puts his mask on. Two shots of two guys climbing up the stairs armed with axes are shown. They continue to climb and then cut the light while sniper is looking from his car. Later when he sees one of the guys shot by Cobra falling down, sniper starts the car and escapes. Some violence and blood are cut during the fight between Cobra and gang members. 8. Hospital attack: Shot of Nightslasher walking across the hallway with blood on his glove holding the knife is cut. Alternate shot of Cobra's arrival. Close up of Slasher's bloody glove is cut. 9.After the attacks: Alternate dialogue: TV cut - "Damn." DVD Uncut - "Goddamn." Line "Enough of this bullshit" from one of the cops is cut, instead he talks longer with Cobra. 10. After the chase: Extended scene where Cobra says that there is leak in the police, bald cop asks him a question. 11. "Feel The Heat": Extended dialogue between Cobra and Ingrid during the drive where he says that he never left California, and after some more dialogue, Cobra says some joke about football that ends with line "Have you seen my legs?" In restaurant, Gonzalez asks Stalk will she sexually assault him afterwards. After Cobra and Ingrid start to kiss, there is extra shot showing some old guy watching the motel from his house across the street and pulling the curtain. 12. Town attack: Extra scene where old guy is watching "DIAL M FOR MURDER" on TV. Some wires are shown being cut. Woman is washing dishes in a kitchen. Sniper is shown behind the window. Somebody catches women's hair from behind. Shots of old man watching TV and smoking pipe are shown, woman's shadow is shown while she is killed and the killer's shadow, considering the haircut, implies that killer is Nightslasher. Sniper breaks window with axe, old guy is strangled quickly, his pipe falls down to the ground, close up shot of a parrot getting nervous is shown, and then zoom on sniper face. 13. Final showdown: Death scene of sniper is cut. Shots of him burning alive are cut. Nightslasher's death scene is cut. He is only shown impaled for a few seconds, but the parts of him hanging on hook, screaming, going into fire and getting burned are cut. Extra scene after the shootout. Cobra and Ingrid are walking out of the factory when three cops show up and point shotguns at them. Cobra then says: "You guys missed the hell of a party." He also tells them that he is a cop, and when one of the other cops says that he wants answers now, Cobra says something else and then leaves.
    • Connections
      Featured in Jean Beauvoir: Feel the Heat (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Feel the Heat
      Produced, Arranged, Composed and Performed by Jean Beauvoir

      Courtesy of Columbia Records and Virgin Records

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    FAQ

    • How long is Cobra?Powered by Alexa
    • Was this really originally supposed to be "Beverly Hills Cop"?
    • What are the differences between the British BBFC 18 DVD and the uncut version?
    • What are the differences between the workprint and DVD version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 23, 1986 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Israel
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Die City-Cobra
    • Filming locations
      • Piru, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • The Cannon Group
      • Golan-Globus Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $49,042,224
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,653,032
      • May 25, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $49,044,608
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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