Certain films earn their place in cinema history not by featuring major technological milestone, being popular or particularly good, but simply by providing perfect insight into domineering mindset of the time and place when they were made. In case of Reagan’s America, this was the case with Cobra, 1986 action film directed by George Pan Cosmatos.
The plot is very loosely based on Fair Game, novel by Patricia Gosling and set in Los Angeles. Protagonist, played by Sylvester Stallone, is Lt. Marion “Cobra” Cobretti (played by Sylvester Stallone), member of elite LAPD unit known as “Zombie squad”, tasked with dealing with most violent and dangerous criminals. One such individual (played by Marco Rodríguez) has taken hostages in supermarket, killed one of them and demanded television crew to record his rants about something called “New World”. Cobra is, rather reluctantly, brought by his superiors to handle the situation and he does so by shooting the murderous psychopath. In the meantime, the city become hunting ground for vicious and prolific serial killer dubbed “Night Slasher” (played by Brian Thompson). Fashion model Ingrid Knudsen (played by Brigitte Nielsen) accidentally witnesses one of his murders and becomes his next target. After barely surviving attempt on her life, she is given protection by LAPD. Cobra soon learns that “Night Slasher” isn’t alone and that he actually created cult around “New World” in which the strong will kill the weak, providing him with small army of fanatical followers. Cobra concludes that he would better protect witness by taking her in small town, but “Night Slasher” learns about it due to LAPD officer Nancy Stalk (played by Lee Garlington) being member of his cult.
When Cobra came to cinemas, many critics have compared with Dirty Harry, mainly because two films shared major theme – protagonist who dealt with violent psychopathic criminals by giving them taste of their medicine at the expense of civil liberties. Old film clearly inspired the latter and it could be seen in using part of its cast – Reni Santoni plays protagonist’s semi-comical partner/sidekick while Andrew J. Robinson (who played monstrous villain in Dirty Harry) here plays protagonist’s bureaucratic superior. Fifteen years later, the real life problem that inspired old film - explosion of crime on American streets – became only worse, but in Reagan’s time solution was offered by American increasingly bellicose stance in Cold War and tendency to solve complex foreign policy issues with brutal military action. Cobra offered similar recipe for violent criminals, with protagonist openly accusing bleeding-heart liberals as major impediment to that – in the scene where he argues with reporter on the street and later when he explains Knudsen that judges love setting free dangerous criminals he and other policemen worked hard to put away. This message is further made explicit by Stallone’s opening narration that cites horrific crime statistics and by protagonist’s words directed at the bad guy “You are disease, I’m the cure”. Needless to say, this views in many ways reflected mindset of many Americans of the time, but today, in the era of Black Lives Matter and “defund the police” initiatives, content of Cobra is likely to make create very negative reaction among certain politically sensitive viewers.
Whether its politics is acceptable or not, Cobra should be primarily judged on its artistic and technical merit. Stallone in main role and George Pan Cosmatos as director – combination that worked well in Rambo 2 - suggests that this should be at least decent action film. Cobra looks that way in the opening scenes when we are introduced to Stallone playing character who dispatches most dangerous villains at ease and also looks “cool” while doing it. Lt. Cobretti wearing shades and trench coat and casually having toothpick in mouth represents one of the most effective icons of 1980s Hollywood machismo. The final showdown, which takes place in a foundry and features one of the most spectacular demises for villain in cinema history, is also very good. Unfortunately, it is the middle section that fails and makes this film disappointing for audience and frustrating for cinephiles aware of its unfulfilled potential. This is mostly result of some questionable creative decisions by producers, mainly those to cut roughly one quarter of the film, partly in order to tone down explicit violence and partly to make Cobra shorter in order to better compete with Top Gun at the box office. The result is series of sometimes unforgivable plot holes and continuity errors and the impression isn’t helped by uninspired soundtrack by Sylvester Levay. Cast is mostly solid, with Stallone playing his cliched role well and even handles lack of chemistry with his real life spouse Nielsen in poorly written romantic subplot. Brian Thompson who plays formidable and physically intimidating villain is also very good and Lee Garlington is effective as his henchwoman. Cinematographer Ric White also does good work and helps with film’s atmosphere. This, however, isn’t enough to improve general impression that is much better in showing the past than entertaining the audience in our present.
RATING: 4/10 (++)
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