Cobra (1986) 

Cobra (1986) 

Cobra follows Marion “Cobra” Cobretti, an elite Los Angeles police lieutenant assigned to a specialized unit that handles violent crimes ordinary law enforcement cannot control. Known for his uncompromising methods and icy demeanor, Cobretti believes criminals understand only force. His approach frequently clashes with politicians and fellow officers who favor negotiation and legal restraint.

The film opens with a supermarket hostage crisis that spirals out of control. While negotiators attempt to reason with the gunman, Cobretti intervenes decisively, killing the suspect and ending the threat. Though lives are saved, his brutal efficiency draws public criticism and reinforces his reputation as a dangerous vigilante cop.

Soon after, a series of savage murders grips Los Angeles. The killings are linked to a radical underground group calling itself the “New Order,” a violent cult that believes society must be cleansed of the weak to make way for a stronger civilization. Their leader, known as the Night Slasher, orchestrates executions with cold fanaticism.

The investigation intensifies when Ingrid Knudsen, a successful fashion model, witnesses a murder and becomes the cult’s primary target. Cobretti is assigned to protect her, despite skepticism from his superiors about the scale of the threat. As assassination attempts escalate, Cobretti moves Ingrid out of the city, placing her under constant protection.

While traveling through California, the bond between Cobretti and Ingrid slowly deepens. Beneath his stoic exterior, Cobretti reveals a quiet sense of duty and isolation, shaped by years of violence and mistrust. Ingrid, shaken but resilient, begins to understand the cost of his relentless lifestyle.

The New Order relentlessly pursues them, staging ambushes that leave multiple casualties. Cobretti’s investigation uncovers the cult’s planned mass execution meant to announce their ideology to the world. Despite bureaucratic resistance, he races to stop the attack before it unfolds.

The final confrontation takes place at a steel foundry, where Cobretti faces the Night Slasher and his followers. Outnumbered, he methodically eliminates the cult members in a brutal showdown of gunfire and close combat. In a decisive moment, Cobretti kills the Night Slasher, ending the reign of terror.

With the cult destroyed, Ingrid is finally safe. Cobretti, however, returns to his solitary existence, unchanged by praise or controversy. He remains a figure operating on the margins of the law, willing to cross boundaries others will not.

Cobra embodies the hard-edged spirit of 1980s action cinema, presenting a world where justice is swift, violence is direct, and survival depends on those prepared to act without hesitation.