Cobra nero

Cobra Nero or The Black Cobra is more less like Stallone's Cobra although this film is trying to be like it.

It's a B-movie story as Fred Williamson goes after a group of bikers who threatens a community.

This film not only lacks characteristic wise, but it has its few dull moments. Fred Williamson's character Malone doesn't look too happy. The viewer knows he's tough but there's not enough life in this character.

The music score is well.. not good. The acting's not really up to scratch, but scriptwise? (I'm shaking my head) Not my cup of tea.

If anyone remembers seeing this movie, you could see it on a rainy day. I did. ..And I was slightly happy!

Cobra Nero(aka Black Cobra)has average music more suited to Italian zombie flicks than an action film and more than it's share of bad acting,dumb bad guys and sweaty close ups yet it has some well shot action sequences while Mr Williamson is on screen and some well done gore effects.The climax is a bit longwinded but it still left me wanting to watch more.Luckily there have been a couple of sequels since so we can all look forward to seeing Fred Williamson playing Malone again.

The ever watchable Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson headlines in this action outing that owes more than just a little to the Sylvester Stallone hit Cobra.

The plot for instance is directly stolen - erm, I mean borrowed from the aforementioned Hollywood flick and involves a group of disillusioned social misfits led by Karl Landgren (Apocalypse Mercenaries/Demons 2) who are terrorising the city with their decidedly antisocial behaviour. During one attack however, a sexy female photographer (the lovely Eva Grimaldi) manages to snap a few shots of our naughty boy in the act as it were. She manages to escape with her life but subsequently finds herself on the receiving end of the gangs unwanted attention as they desperately hunt her down in order to reclaim the evidence she has of them (oh and to kill her of course!)

Where is our main man the Hammer during all this? Well, as it turns out he is given the assignment to protect our damsel in distress. Needless to say - any film with Fred Williamson in it always features a fair quota of ass kicking and this is no exception, although it has to be said that the action isn't handled with nearly as much enthusiasm by the director as it could and indeed should have which is a real shame.

Nonetheless, the film remains at least enjoyable throughout and doesn't outstay it's welcome with it's relatively short running time.

Followed by three sequels (although the final one barely features Williamson in it!)

When I popped "The Black Cobra" into the DVD player, I was in the mood for some undemanding, mindless entertainment, nothing more. Unfortunately, this film cannot even fulfill those expectations. It is overwhelmingly cheap - much of it appears to be set in and around abandoned warehouses - and almost completely uninspired. I bought the entire "Black Cobra Collection" online for 3 English pounds, which means a pound a film, but if the other two entries are of the same quality, and if the other two transfers are of the same quality (well-below-VHS-level picture, often inaudible audio), then maybe the buyers should be getting payed instead! Fred Williamson is always cool, even when he's sleepwalking (which he largely is here) and dubbed (which I also think he is here), and Eva Grimaldi is as beautiful as ever, but this is not the finest hour for either of them. (*)

12-01-2005 I just finished watching "Black Cobra" for the second time. The first time I watched it was four years ago when a friend had taped it off the air on a blank video cassette. I only saw the last half of the movie then...but I really liked it.

While it is clearly not in the genre of Eastwood's "Magnum Force" or "Dirty Harry" and probably is not as good as either Willis' "Die Hard" or Gibson's "Lethal Weapon", the film is still pretty good. The writing is not great but the "street action" carries the film well. Marian Cobretti and Martin Riggs could have learned some useful things. Mr. Williamson is good. Like Cobretti and Riggs, our Fred has "style".

I happen to like Fred Williamson, the actor. I liked him in "Joshua" and paid fulI price for the video cassette. In my mind, you don't get a lot better than " The Snake scene" in "Joshua" or the final "You're yella" scene with Karl Malden, in "Nevada Smith". Both are great movies. Williamson is good. I'd like to see more of his work...in conjunction with good screen play writing.