Review of Cobra (1986) by Alex R — 06 Sep 2013

Cobra has had the reputation of being a Dirty Harry rip-off, and in many ways it is. However, this is still an entertaining action movie that doesn't deserve the flack it received. I agree that the movie is imperfect and it does look dated, but nonetheless it is a fun movie.

Director George P. Cosmatos, who is most famous for directing Rambo First Blood Part II and Tombstone, directs, and he knows how to make effective mindless movies that are fun. I really enjoyed this film, and though it's a clichéd affair, it's quite good in its own right.

If you love 1980's action films that are low budget, this is a perfect film to enjoy. The performances are decent at best, but the action is what keeps you involved. The plot does suffer, but what do you expect from a low budget action feature? This is meant to be a popcorn flick, nothing more, and it succeeds at it very well.

There were better films than Cobra during the 80's, especially the bigger productions such as Die Hard, but if you enjoy these films, then give it a shot. I found Cobra to be a flawed film with an average script, but it delivered in its action content, and if you're an action film fan, that's all that matters.

I thought that Sylvester Stallone's performance was pretty good considering that this is such an overlooked film. He has had better roles, but in Cobra he's perfect for the part and it's hard to imagine someone else in the role.

Like I said, this is a good movie that is flawed, but it more than makes up for the lacking material with its tense action. The film is cheesy at times, but it's what makes it all enjoyable.