Cobra (1986)
Cobra is a high-adrenaline action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone as Lieutenant Marion “Cobra” Cobretti—an elite, tough-as-nails LAPD officer known for taking on criminals no one else can handle. The film opens in a gritty Los Angeles plagued by random, brutal murders committed by a mysterious cult calling themselves “The New World.” This group, made up of radical extremists, seeks to reshape society by slaughtering those they consider weak. They strike fast, disappear quickly, and leave authorities helpless. The city needs a weapon, not a negotiator—and that weapon is Cobra.
Cobretti is introduced stopping a violent supermarket hostage crisis with cold precision and minimal words. He operates outside standard police procedure, prioritizing justice over bureaucracy. His methods clash with department officials, but his results speak for themselves. Meanwhile, model Ingrid Knudsen accidentally witnesses the New World cult committing a murder, instantly becoming their next target. Cobra is assigned to protect her—not just from a single killer, but from an army hiding in the shadows.
As Ingrid recalls fragments of what she saw, the cult intensifies its pursuit. Their leader, the Night Slasher, is relentless, driven by twisted ideology and unstoppable bloodlust. Cobra must escort Ingrid out of the city, but even rural safe zones become war zones. A deadly ambush erupts, resulting in a brutal chase across highways, abandoned factories, and dark countryside. Cobra refuses to back down, taking on waves of attackers with guns, knives, and sheer determination.
Tension builds toward a final showdown inside a steel mill—a labyrinth of fire, metal, and danger. The Night Slasher confronts Cobra face-to-face, taunting him with promises of chaos and domination. Cobra, firm in his belief that justice must be delivered, engages him in a brutal hand-to-hand fight among sparks and machinery. When the Night Slasher falls, the cult collapses with him.
In the aftermath, Cobra emerges bruised but unbroken. The city recognizes his courage, though he remains the same lone warrior—quiet, unstoppable, and morally absolute. He rides off with Ingrid into the sun, knowing another battle will come someday.
Cobra is a fast, violent, and intense 80s action film built on justice, intimidation, and fearless determination. It shows a world where the law is fragile—and sometimes only a man like Cobra can hold the line.
