Cobra (1986) Review:

What is it that makes police thrillers so interesting to watch? Some comical dialog, high-strung action sequences and a menacing looking killer. Cobra has all of these elements in this movie and it works really well. Cobra is based off a book called Fair Game by Paula Gosling. Sylvester Stallone has ramped up the action and added some extras into it. Stallone plays Marion Cobretti (or Cobra as he's called) who is one of the best cops on the force but is only used for the major emergencies. What's funny is that many times, when there is trouble he's called in - so why bother saving him as a last resort if he's needed all the time anyway? Oh well. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Sgt. Gonzalez (Santoni) & Marion Cobretti (Stallone) 

Starring with Stallone is Reni Santoni who plays his partner Gonzales. Usually when the camera is focused on them together, this is where most of the funny scenes come from. There are other funny parts but this is the main source. For some reason, Gonzales loves to eat all unhealthy food and Cobra is always trying to persuade him to eat healthier. It is cheesy but it delivers the chuckles.

In a movie where everything is tense, there's got to be a little light- heartedness. These kinds of things are included so that the viewer knows that the main characters know what they're doing. This movie was panned by many critics saying that the dialog was very boring and the acting was terrible; sorry but I didn't see that. I had some good laughs and I think Stallone's character was written to be the way it was in the film, nothing more.

Doesn't Brian Thompson look great or what?

Action sequences - what makes them good in this film? Basically how they're executed. Because much of the story is a chase, it will keep the viewer on their seat. Some action sequences are so unique in this movie, I could bet that you won't find another film before its time doing such a stunt. I'm sure this is what got this movie to earn so much money. With a budget of 25 million, they earned back almost twice as much. That's pretty good for its time.

The actor who plays the killer (or Night Slasher) is Brian Thompson who I'll admit is pretty scary looking. He grunts, snorts, and has a bellowing voice that would make you cower in fear if you were the person who was going to be murdered by this dude. Seriously, in one scene he wears a wife beater where his muscles are enormous. In an arm wrestle alone, I don't think Stallone would stand a chance. Someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger probably would be better for the job. But this is a Stallone movie so you work with what you get and either way it's a great film.

Stallone's version of Gosling's book, Fair Game is action packed and quite thrilling. Adding to the action in this film, director George P. Cosmatos has a great cast that makes the characters very likable.

Points Earned --> 10:10