Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- aggressive
- grim
- sleek
- 1980s action marathon
- sylvester stallone night
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a thin, excessively violent, and self-serious police thriller with stylish action but little characterization or moral depth.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cobra bypasses conventional restraint and personally wages violent war against the New World killers.
Cobra's laconic dialogue, sunglasses, weapons, and controlled demeanor make attitude his primary characterization.
The film frames Los Angeles as a crime-infested urban jungle and elevates an armed street cop as its corrective force.
Cobra escorts Ingrid out of town while the New World organization tracks and attacks them.
Films like Cobra, and why
Dirty Harry
Shared hard-edged police protagonist, vigilante justice, urban crime, and confrontational 1980s action style.
Beverly Hills Cop
Shared muscular crime-fighting hero, street-level criminal violence, R-rated spectacle, and tough-on-crime themes.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Shared one-man-army protagonist, relentless pursuit by violent criminals, and heavily stylized 1980s action-thriller tone.
Manhunter
Shared serial-killer threat, police investigation, brutal urban atmosphere, and grim crime-thriller intensity.
Movie Details
- Director
- George P. Cosmatos
- Release Date
- 1986-05-22
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (2049)
Cast
- Sylvester Stallone
- Brigitte Nielsen
- Reni Santoni
- Brian Thompson
- Lee Garlington
- Art LaFleur
- Andrew Robinson
- Marco Rodríguez
- Val Avery
- Nina Axelrod
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Cobra about?
- A taciturn Los Angeles cop turns witness protection into a personal war against a murderous secret organization.
- What is Cobra like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cobra as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Cobra violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Cobra as graphic.
- What did critics think of Cobra?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a thin, excessively violent, and self-serious police thriller with stylish action but little characterization or moral depth.
- Which films are like Cobra?
- Films with a similar feel include Dirty Harry, Beverly Hills Cop, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Manhunter.
- How long is Cobra?
- Cobra runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cobra?
- In United States, Cobra streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
