View source for Cobra (1986)

{{Infobox film
| name           = Cobra
| image          = Cobra movie poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[John Alvin]]
| alt            = Against a red backdrop, Stallone dressed in black, holding a large gun, wearing sunglasses, and with a matchstick in his mouth.
| director       = [[George P. Cosmatos]]
| producer       = [[Menahem Golan]]<br />[[Yoram Globus]]
| screenplay     = [[Sylvester Stallone]]
| based_on       = {{based on|''Fair Game''|[[Paula Gosling]]}}
| starring       = {{plainlist |
* Sylvester Stallone
* [[Brigitte Nielsen]]
* [[Reni Santoni]]
}}
| music          = [[Sylvester Levay]]
| cinematography = [[Ric Waite]]
| editing        = James R. Symons <br />[[Don Zimmerman (film editor)|Don Zimmerman]]
| studio         = [[The Cannon Group]]
| distributor    = [[Warner Bros.]]
| released       = {{Film date|1986|05|23}}
| runtime        = 89 minutes<ref name="afi" />
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| rating         = {{R}}
| budget         = $25 million<ref name="Cronin" /><ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=Cobra (1986) – Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Cobra#tab=summary |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]]}}</ref>
| gross          = $160 million<ref name="1986 Worldwide box-office">[http://www.worldwideboxoffice.com/index.cgi?start=1986&finish=1986&order=domestic "1986 Worldwide box-office"]. Retrieved February 20, 2015.</ref>
}}

'''''Cobra''''' is a 1986 American [[action drama film]] directed by [[George P. Cosmatos]] and written by [[Sylvester Stallone]], who stars in the titular role. The film, loosely based on the novel ''A Running Duck'' by [[Paula Gosling]] (later published as ''Fair Game'' and [[Fair Game (1995 film)|filmed under that title in 1995]]), co-stars [[Reni Santoni]], [[Brigitte Nielsen]] and [[Andrew Robinson (actor)|Andrew Robinson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/cobra-v10123|work=Allmovie|title=Cobra|access-date=July 15, 2013|author=Brenner, Paul|publisher=Rovi Corporation}}</ref> ''Cobra'' follows [[Los Angeles Police Department|Los Angeles police]] [[Police lieutenant|Lt.]] Marion "Cobra" Cobretti, who investigates a string of violent crimes and also protects a witness targeted by the perpetrators.

''Cobra'' is the final film which featured the collaboration between Stallone and Nielsen after ''[[Rocky IV]]'' (1985) and until ''[[Creed II]]'' (2018), and the only film the pair are both featured in while married to one another in real life. The script was largely inspired by Stallone's original script for ''[[Beverly Hills Cop]]'' (1984).

''Cobra'' was released to generally negative reviews with criticism on its excessive violence and overuse of [[Trope (literature)|genre tropes]], but it was a box office success and also has since been considered as a [[Cult film|cult classic]].<ref name="Scott" /><ref name="Rabin" />

==Plot==
When a [[mass shooting]] at a [[Los Angeles]] supermarket evolves into a hostage crisis, the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] (LAPD) summons [[Lieutenant]] Marion Cobretti of their elite ''Zombie Squad'', to resolve the incident. Cobretti, nicknamed ''Cobra,'' confronts the shooter, who espouses [[social Darwinist]] ideals and mentions a ''New World''. Cobretti kills him before he can execute a group of hostages. Detective Monte reprimands Cobretti for disregarding police procedure and Cobretti admonishes a group of reporters for not prioritizing the safety of potential victims.

Unbeknownst to the authorities, the supermarket incident is part of a string of violent crimes committed by ''The New World'', a [[Cult|social Darwinist cult]] that despises modern society and believes in killing the weak, leaving only the strongest and smartest to rule. Ingrid Knudsen, a model and businesswoman, becomes the New World's priority target after she witnesses the group and their leader ''Night Slasher'' on a killing spree. Knudsen is placed under the [[protective custody]] of Cobretti and his partner [[Sergeant]] Tony Gonzales following an attempt on her life.

After more attempts to kill Knudsen and Cobretti, Cobretti theorizes that an organization is behind this, but his theory is rebuffed by his superiors. Cobretti and Gonzales leave with Knudsen to the small town of San Remos, where Cobretti and Knudsen fall in love. Nancy Stalk, an LAPD officer and New World's second-in-command, infiltrates the police escort. Despite not trusting Stalk, Cobretti does nothing and the group spends the night in a motel.

At dawn, the New World arrives in San Remos on motorcycles and besieges the town on Stalk's instructions. In a shootout, Cobretti kills many cultists, but Gonzales is wounded. Cobretti and Knudsen flee in a pickup truck, which the cultists wreck with a roadblock. The pair flee to a steel mill, where Cobretti defeats the rest of the cultists and Stalk is accidentally shot by the Night Slasher.

Cobretti fights with the Night Slasher in an hand-to-hand combat and impales him on a hook that drags him into a furnace. The [[California Highway Patrol]] secures San Remos and rescues Gonzales. As Cobretti is cleared by his superiors, Monte initially appears apologetic, only to again chastise Cobretti for "overdoing it". Cobretti punches Monte in the face before riding away with Knudsen on a motorcycle left by the New World.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Sylvester Stallone]] as Lieutenant Marion "Cobra" Cobretti
* [[Brigitte Nielsen]] as Ingrid Knudsen
* [[Reni Santoni]] as Sergeant Tony Gonzales
* [[Andrew Robinson (actor)|Andrew Robinson]] as Detective Monte
* [[Brian Thompson]] as "Night Slasher"
* [[John Herzfeld]] as Cho
* [[Lee Garlington]] as Officer Nancy Stalk
* [[Art LaFleur]] as Captain Sears
* [[Marco Rodríguez (actor)|Marco Rodriguez]] as Supermarket Killer
* Ross St. Phillip as Security Guard
* [[Val Avery]] as Chief Halliwell
* [[David Rasche]] as Dan
* Nick Angotti as Prodski
}}

==Production==
===Development and writing===
When Sylvester Stallone was signed to play the lead in ''Beverly Hills Cop'', he decided to rewrite the script almost completely, removing nearly all the comedic aspects and turning it into an action movie that he felt was better suited to him. The studio read his revised script and rejected it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Round Two With Stallone: Rocky, Beverly Hills Cop, Rambo 4, Elvis, Poe, Horror, Incredibles 2 &... |url=http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/30865 |website=Aint It Cool News}}</ref> The proposed action scenes would have increased the budget far beyond what they planned.<ref name="Cronin">{{cite web |date= January 16, 2013 |first=Brian |last=Cronin |title=Movie Legends Revealed: Sly Stallone as Axel Foley? |url=https://www.cbr.com/movie-legends-revealed-sly-stallone-as-axel-foley/ |website=CBR |access-date=January 1, 2021}}</ref> Stallone later channeled his ideas for it into an original script.<ref name="Rabin">{{cite web |date=September 12, 2014 |last=Rabin |first=Nathan |author-link=Nathan Rabin |title=Cobra gave 1986 the Dirty Harry knockoff it deserved |url=https://thedissolve.com/features/forgotbusters/749-cobra-gave-the-1980s-the-dirty-harry-knockoff-it-d/ |work=The Dissolve |access-date=June 3, 2016}}</ref> When Stallone left ''Beverly Hills Cop'', [[Eddie Murphy]] was brought in to play the lead role.<ref>{{cite episode |title=I Took Over A Role From Someone Else And Now I'm Famous |url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/shows/the-role-that-changed-my-life/series-one/episode-guide.html |url-status=dead |access-date=December 14, 2010 |series=The Role That Changed My Life |season=1 |number=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201164810/http://thebiographychannel.co.uk/shows/the-role-that-changed-my-life/series-one/episode-guide.html |archive-date=December 1, 2010}}</ref>

The novel ''A Running Duck'' by [[Paula Gosling]] was cited as source material, enough so that she received a screen credit. 

Sylvester Stallone's earlier draft of the script contained many differences from later drafts and the final film. These include the opening shootout taking place in a movie theater (instead of a supermarket), during which many more people are killed; Cobra mentioning how he had a girlfriend who was killed by a psychopath he was trying to catch; an additional nighttime action sequence on a boat where Cobra and Ingrid are hiding and are attacked by the Night Slasher's cultists, with Cobra and Gonzalez managing to kill them all; and a different ending, in which Monte, revealed to be the actual leader of the New World, attempts to kill Ingrid at the last second before being killed by Cobretti.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rawrvintageisclassic.blogspot.mx/2014/05/first-draft-screenplay-of-cobra.html |title=First Draft Screenplay of Cobra. |website=rawrvintageisclassic.blogspot.com |date=May 20, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref>

The line, "This is where the law stops and I start, sucker!", was inspired by a line spoken by [[Steve McQueen]] in ''[[The Reivers (film)|The Reivers]]''.<ref name="Siskel-1986-05-18">{{cite web |date=May 18, 1986 |author=Gene Siskel |author-link=Gene Siskel |title=STALLONE WIELDS A PEN WITH RAMBONIAN POWER |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-18-8602040747-story.html |website=ChicagoTribune.com }}</ref>

''Cobra'' needed much additional editing because the film was so graphically violent that it originally received an X rating. It was edited to receive an R rating.

===Casting===
[[Brian Thompson]] auditioned seven times before he was hired. On the fourth audition he met Stallone, who thought that Thompson was too nice to play the Night Slasher. But after a screen test, he immediately got the job. Also, in the original script, the Night Slasher was called [[Abaddon]], possibly after the "angel of the abyss" from the Bible.

Thompson repeatedly sought Stallone's advice about how to play the Night Slasher, including questions about his background and personal motivations, but Stallone showed no interest in the subject and told Thompson that the character was simply evil. In an unfortunate surprise for Thompson, after filming was completed, director Cosmatos unexpectedly told him: "You could have been good if you had listened to me."

Stallone acknowledged ''[[Dirty Harry]]'' as an influence<ref name="Siskel-1986-05-18" /> and ''Cobra'' reunited two actors from the film: [[Reni Santoni]] and [[Andrew Robinson (actor)|Andy Robinson]].

Brigitte Nielsen, Stallone's then-wife who he had met filming ''[[Rocky IV]]'', was cast as Ingrid Knudsen.<ref name="Scott" /><ref name="Siskel-1986-05-18" />

===Filming===
Originally, ''Cobra'' was supposed to be filmed in Seattle, climaxing with a motorcycle chase scene on a [[ferry]] between the islands. Even though everything was prepared to start filming the final theatrical version of the scene at night, Stallone demanded the ending be changed because of the mosquito problem at that time, which would have made night time filming very difficult to endure.

The supporting cast and extras were forbidden from talking to Stallone on set.<ref name="MovieGeeksUnited">{{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBJlfp25vUM | title = Summer of 1986: COBRA | quote = <!-- at 39:00 minute mark -->with cinematographer Ric Waite and costar Brian Thompson | work = Movie Geeks United!}}</ref>

At one point during filming, Stallone complained to cinematographer Ric Waite that they were falling behind and that he needed to push his crew to work harder. Waite responded by telling Stallone that the delays were due to his fooling around with Brigitte Nielsen and showing off for his bodyguards. Although Stallone was shocked that somebody would talk to him that way, he cleaned up his act and behaved more professionally, although he returned to his old egocentric behavior a few weeks later. Waite later said in an interview that, despite his huge ego, Stallone had a great sense of humor. He said George P. Cosmatos would have made a great producer, but he was a terrible director.<ref name="MovieGeeksUnited" />

During a stunt scene, driver [[Kerry Rossall]] and another stuntman were injured after Rossall intentionally crashed a van into a wall. Nielsen was nearly hit by the van during a previous take.<ref>Brouwer, Alexandra (1990). ''[https://archive.org/details/workinginhollywo0000brou/page/150/mode/2up?q=%22cobra%22 Working in Hollywood]'' (1st ed.). New York: [[Crown Publishers]]. pp. 150–151. {{ISBN|0-517-57401-2}} – via [[Internet Archive]].</ref>

For the Night Slasher's monologue in the lead-up to the final fight, Brian Thompson did the scene with the script supervisor standing in for Stallone, who was busy watching a basketball game on TV.

The custom [[Mercury Eight#Third generation (1949–1951)|1950 Mercury]] driven by Cobretti was actually owned by Sylvester Stallone. The studio produced stunt doubles of the car for use in some of the action sequences, such as the jump from the second floor of the parking garage. The production built three "Cobra cars" for stunt work. Although they were identical on the outside, their moving parts were designed for specific sequences, involving high-speed swipes with other vehicles, 180-degree turns, jumps, and 360-degree spins.<ref name="afi">{{cite web |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57290 |title=Cobra |website=AFI |access-date=February 28, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=MARIELENA HATZIGIANNIS |title=Sylvester Stallone reportedly reunites with stolen car |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sylvester-stallone-reportedly-reunites-with-stolen-car/ |website=CBS News |date=March 30, 2011 |quote=he designed the car to fit his role in the movie, and that the car is worth around $250,000}}</ref>

The knife used by the Night Slasher was made for the film by knife designer Herman Schneider.<ref name="afi" /> Sylvester Stallone asked Schneider to create a knife that audiences would never forget. Cobretti uses a custom [[Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911]], modified to chamber [[9×19mm Parabellum]]. Later in the film, he uses a [[Jatimatic]] submachine gun.<ref name="afi" /><ref>{{cite book |last= Hunter|first=Stephen |author-link= Stephen Hunter|date= 1995|title= Violent Screen: A Critic's 13 Years on the Front Lines of Movie Mayhem|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=tiKjMVaU0VwC&pg=PT251|publisher= Bancroft Press|quote=...Sylvester Stallone's “Cobra,” which features numb performances by the actors and brilliant performances by a Finnish Jati-matic 9mm submachine gun with a laser sighting system...|isbn=9780963537645}}</ref>

=== Editing ===
The first rough cut was over two hours long (the closest estimated original running time is 130 minutes). It was then shortened to a roughly two-hour director's cut which was intended to be released in theaters. However, after ''[[Top Gun]]'' became a smash hit, Stallone and Warner Bros. were worried that ''Cobra''—which would premiere the following week—would be overshadowed, so in order to ensure at least one extra screening each day the movie was heavily re-edited. Stallone removed much of the plot and scenes involving characters other than his own. Warner Bros. also demanded that the more graphic scenes be cut down or removed entirely because they were "too intense," and that some action scenes be cut for pacing.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 26, 1986 |title=Take One |url=http://people.com/archive/take-one-vol-25-no-21/ |access-date=December 1, 2014 |website=People.com |quote=Sly Stallone may have wimped out by not going to Cannes because of terrorism, but he's standing strong at home. Sly wants to make sure his shoot-'em-up cop movie Cobra (wife Brigitte appears as a terrorized model), which opens Memorial Day weekend, outdoes that other potential megahit, Top Gun, starring [[Tom Cruise]] and [[Kelly McGillis]]. To get the box-office edge, Stallone insisted that Cobra be kept to under 90 minutes, insuring one extra showing a day, while Top Gun logs in at 103 minutes. Very Sly.}}</ref> The extended television version of the film is approximately 6 minutes longer than the theatrical release.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wurm |first1=Gerald |title=Cobra (Comparison: Original Version - Extended TV Version) - Movie-Censorship.com |url=https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=50870 |website=Movie-censorship.com}}</ref> When first submitted to the MPAA the film received an X rating, necessitating even more cuts.

==Music==
{{Infobox album
| name       = Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
| type       = soundtrack
| artist     = various artists
| cover      = Copra1986album.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = {{start date|1986}}
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[pop music|pop]]
| length     = 37:56
| label      = [[Scotti Bros. Records]]
| producer   = Robin Garb
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title =
| next_year  =
}}
The musical score was composed by [[Sylvester Levay]]. An audio [[Compact Cassette|cassette]] and [[LP record|vinyl]] version were released on September 21, 1986, followed by a CD which was released in 1992 as the ''Original Motion Picture Soundtrack''.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000I9P0/ Cobra: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986 Film). ''Amazon.com''. Retrieved October 18, 2013.]</ref>

[[Stan Bush]]'s song "[[The Touch (Stan Bush song)|The Touch]]", heard in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (1986), was originally written for ''Cobra''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://geektyrant.com/news/2010/9/8/interview-stan-bush-singersongwriter-of-the-touch-from-trans.html |title=Interview: Stan Bush, singer/songwriter of "The Touch" from TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE |website=GeekTyrant |date=September 8, 2010 |access-date=January 10, 2015}}</ref> It is said "Feel The Heat" was overheard during the filming of its music video by Jean Beauvoir when they were editing in the same building complex, and was added because Stallone loved the song. 

{{Track listing
| collapsed =
| headline =
| extra_column =
| total_length = 37:56
| all_writing =
| all_lyrics =
| all_music =
| title1 = Voice of America's Sons (Theme From ''Cobra'')
| music1 = [[John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band]]
| extra1 =
| length1 = 4:36
| title2 = Feel the Heat
| music2 = [[Jean Beauvoir]]
| extra2 =
| length2 = 4:01
| title3 = Loving on Borrowed Time (Love Theme from ''Cobra'')
| music3 = [[Gladys Knight]] & [[Bill Medley]]
| extra3 =
| length3 = 3:59
| title4 = Skyline
| music4 = [[Sylvester Levay]]
| extra4 =
| length4 = 3:24
| title5 = Hold on to Your Vision
| music5 = [[Gary Wright]]
| extra5 =
| length5 = 3:44
| title6 = Suave
| music6 = [[Miami Sound Machine]]
| extra6 =
| length6 = 3:03
| title7 = Cobra
| music7 = Sylvester Levay
| extra7 =
| length7 = 3:09
| title8 = Angel of the City
| music8 = [[Robert Tepper]]
| extra8 =
| length8 = 4:28
| title9 = Chase
| music9 = Sylvester Levay
| extra9 =
| length9 = 3:31
| title10 = Two into One
| music10 = Bill Medley & [[Carmen Twillie (actress)|Carmen Twillie]]
| extra10 =
| length10 = 4:01
}}

==Reception==
===Box office===
''Cobra'' opened the widest for a Warner Bros. release at the time<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 21, 1986|page=4|title=Warner Gears Up For Biggest Break Ever With 'Cobra'|last=Gold|first=Richard}}</ref> opening on 2,131 screens and debuted at number one at the U.S. box office with a [[Memorial Day]] weekend debut of $15.7 million.<ref name="Scott">{{cite news |date= May 29, 1986 |author= Vernon Scott |title= 'Cobra' Biggest Draw For Box-office Bucks |work= Sun Sentinel |url= http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-05-29/features/8602010901_1_poltergeist-ii-top-gun-short-circuit |access-date= November 8, 2010 |archive-date= May 28, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120528052824/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-05-29/features/8602010901_1_poltergeist-ii-top-gun-short-circuit |url-status= dead }}</ref> It eventually went on to gross $160 million,<ref name="1986 Worldwide box-office" /> over six times its estimated $25 million budget.<ref name="Cronin" /> According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', the film was still considered a disappointment because its $48 million at the box office in the US did not live up to the success of Rambo.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 8, 1986 |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |title=HOW SUMMER'S FILMS RANKED AT BOX OFFICE |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/08/movies/how-summer-s-films-ranked-at-box-office.html |website=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref>

===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 17% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 3.40/10. The website's consensus reads, "A disengaged Sylvester Stallone plays the titular ''Cobra'' with no bite in this leaden action thriller, queasily fixated on wanton carnage and nothing else."<ref name="tomatoes">{{cite web |url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1004407-cobra/ |title=Cobra |publisher=[[Fandango Media]] | work =[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 25 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/cobra |title=Cobra (1986) reviews |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date= April 4, 2019}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade "B" on scale of A to F.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title=COBRA (1986) B |work= [[CinemaScore]] |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= December 20, 2018}}</ref>

''[[TV Guide]]'' stated that "Stallone's character is an empty hulk...the few attempts to provide us with little insights into his character are downright laughable."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.tvguide.com/cobra/review/111069 |title=Cobra: Review |publisher=[[TV Guide]] |access-date=December 15, 2010 |archive-date=April 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402234503/http://movies.tvguide.com/cobra/review/111069 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nina Darnton of ''[[The New York Times]]'' opined that the film "pretends to be against the wanton violence of a disintegrating society, but it's really the apotheosis of that violence....[it] shows such contempt for the most basic American values",<ref>{{cite news |date=May 24, 1986 |last=Darnton |first=Nina |title=Film: Sylvester Stallone as Policeman, in 'Cobra' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/24/movies/film-sylvester-stallone-as-policeman-in-cobra.html |newspaper =[[The New York Times]] |access-date=January 18, 2021}}</ref> and Vincent Canby called it "disturbing for the violence it portrays, the ideas it represents and the large number of people who will undoubtedly go to see it and cheer on its dangerous hero."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Canby |first1=Vincent |title=FILM VIEW; INSIDE 'COBRA' MAY DWELL A PUSSYCAT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/01/movies/film-view-inside-cobra-may-dwell-a-pussycat.html |website=The New York Times |date=June 1, 1986}}</ref> Sheila Benson of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' panned the film, saying "''Cobra''<nowiki/>'s pretentious emptiness, its dumbness, its two-faced morality make it a movie that begs to be laughed off."<ref>{{cite web |date=May 24, 1986 |author=Sheila Benson |title=MOVIE REVIEW : THE 'COBRA' THAT SAVED L.A. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-05-24-ca-7438-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called it "a sleek, extremely violent and exciting police thriller" and compared Cobra favorably to [[Rocky Balboa|Rocky]] and [[John Rambo|Rambo]].<ref>{{cite web |date=January 1, 1986 |author=Variety Staff |title=Cobra |url=https://variety.com/1985/film/reviews/cobra-1200426955/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] }}</ref>

[[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' compared Cobra to [[Harry Callahan (character)|Dirty Harry]] when giving the film 2 and 1/2 stars and summarizing it as "Filthy Harry". He wrote: "Whereas Clint Eastwood simply would have squinted at Robinson, Stallone takes a more violent approach. Maybe that's the difference between actors--Eastwood can be droll; Stallone more often crosses the border to primeval."<ref name="Siskel">{{cite web |date=1986 |author=Gene Siskel |author-link=Gene Siskel |title=STALLONE'S VIOLENCE LESS THAN CHARMING IN 'COBRA' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-23-8602070085-story.html |website=ChicagoTribune.com}}</ref> Siskel and [[Roger Ebert]] did not give the film a feature review on their TV show, but both gave it negative attention during a late-1986 segment on new video releases, in which Siskel noted that the film had a great opening sequence (the supermarket hostage scene) and couldn't maintain the momentum. Ebert lamented that Stallone was squandering his talent and vast potential.

In the 1996 movie guide ''"Seen That, Now What?"'', the film was given the rating of "C−", stating that the film is "a graceless vigilante thriller that's strictly for hardcore action junkies."<ref>{{cite book |last=Shaw |first=Andrea |author-link= |date= 1996|title=Seen That, Now What?: The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Video You Really Want to Watch|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vgVStU_SWRcC|publisher= Simon and Schuster|page= 43|isbn=9780684800110}}</ref>

Then-[[U.S. President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] viewed this film at [[Camp David]] on June 6, 1986.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/sreference/films-viewed-by-president-and-mrs-reagan |title = Films Viewed by President and Mrs. Reagan {{!}} Ronald Reagan}}</ref>

===Accolades===
''Cobra'' was nominated for six [[Razzie Awards]], including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Sylvester Stallone), Worst Actress (Brigitte Nielsen), Worst Supporting Actor and Worst New Star (both for Brian Thompson) and Worst Screenplay.<ref>{{cite web |date=1987 |url=http://www.razzies.com/forum/1986-razzie-nominees-winners_topic336.html |title=1986 RAZZIE® Nominees & 'Winners.' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831204656/http://www.razzies.com/forum/1986-razzie-nominees-winners_topic336.html |archive-date=August 31, 2012 |website=Razzies.com |publisher=Golden Raspberry Award Foundation and John Wilson |access-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref>

Director [[Nicolas Winding Refn]] is a  fan of ''Cobra''. In Refn's cult film ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]'' the main character has a toothpick in his mouth in some scenes; this is Refn's homage to the opening scene where Stallone has a matchstick in his mouth. The main star of the film, [[Ryan Gosling]], also said in interview that he is a fan of Stallone and ''Cobra'' which is why he "borrowed" his character's toothpick habit from Cobra.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2011-09-15/ryan-gosling-interview/50420372/1 |title=Ryan Gosling can't help but drive them wild |last=Wloszczyna |first=Susan |work=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Gannett Company]] |date=September 15, 2011 |access-date=January 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926230654/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2011-09-15/ryan-gosling-interview/50420372/1 |archive-date=September 26, 2015}}</ref>

==Other media==
===Video game===
{{main|Cobra (video game)}}
In 1986, the film was made into a video game by [[Ocean Software]] for the [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[Amstrad CPC]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/c64/569251-cobra |title=Cobra for Commodore 64 |website=GameFAQs |access-date=March 1, 2018}}</ref>

===Aborted sequel and TV series===
In 1987, [[The Cannon Group, Inc.|Cannon Films]], along with [[Warner Bros.]] attempted to make a sequel, ''Cobra Part II'', but the film never materialized.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-05-20 |title=Cannon inks Dudikoff to 7-pic pact; sequel to 'Cobra' planned |page=37 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

In 2019, a television series was in development with [[Robert Rodriguez]] serving as director/creator.<ref>https://www.konbini.com/en/cinema/sylvester-stallone-wants-a-series-remake-of-cult-film-cobra {{Dead link|date=February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=September 16, 2019 |last=Davis |first=Erik |title=Sylvester Stallone Teaming with Robert Rodriguez on 'Cobra' Reboot; Is 'Tango & Cash' Next? |url=https://www.fandango.com/movie-news/sylvester-stallone-teaming-with-robert-rodriguez-on-cobra-reboot-is-tango-and-cash-next-753897 |website=Fandango |access-date=September 16, 2019}}</ref> {{As of|2024}}, it is not known if this project is still in development.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0090859|title=Cobra}}
* {{amg movie|10123}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=16337}}
* {{AFI film|id=57290|title=Cobra}}
* {{mojo title|id=cobra|title=Cobra}}
[[Category:1986 films]]
[[Category:Action films]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]
[[Category:Cannon Films films]]