COBRA Arrow Video Review: Crime Is The Disease, And Arrow’s 4K UHD Is The Cure!

Cobra arrives on 4K UHD on July 22 from Arrow Video.

I’m not a hirsute man. Never have been. Granted, I have a light dusting of foliage here and there, but I’m far from Burt Reynolds.

My point? Well, I recently watched Arrow Video’s fantastic new 4K UHD of 1986’s COBRA and, well, I can’t help but say, “It’s the type of film that puts hair on your chest.” Cobra is a non-apologetic cacophony of testosterone pumping action and classic 80’s silliness. It sits in that neat little pocket of time where 80’s movies weren’t just cheesy. Like Robocop or Die Hard, Cobra is inherently cool as hell.

So where do I start? The film introduces us to Marion “Cobra” Cobretti. He’s a cop with a grudge. The streets are infected with a virus, and he is the cure, as he tells us early on. By the way, the virus is crime. Who’d have thought? Oh, and did I mention he doesn’t go by the book? A real loose cannon this one.

Sylvester Stallone plays Cobretti perfectly. I dare say it’s one of his most iconic roles, third only to John Rambo and Rocky Balboa. It helps that Stallone also wrote the screenplay. Cobra’s one-liners are as quippy and punchy as a John McClane or Alex Murphy, but they’re delivered with such an air of badassery that they defy cheese. They come full circle, back to being cool again. Stallone makes Cobretti his own and, in doing so, the script becomes one of the film’s strengths. Sly knows how to deliver his own dialog and it’s beautiful.

Cobra’s plot is simple, if a smidgen confused. In Los Angeles, a new cult, “The New World,” is responsible for a slew of grisly crimes. Their leader, The Night Slasher (Brian Thomspon), takes a shine to Ingrid Knudsen (Brigitte Nielsen), a model and businesswoman, who witnesses one of New World’s terrifying attacks. Lieutenant “Cobra” Cobretti, a member of the LAPD’s notorious Zombie Squad, comes aboard to protect Ingrid and ultimately put an end to the big bad.

The aforementioned confusion comes from the film not really knowing if it wants the “big bad” to be a violent cult or an active serial killer. In the novel the film is based on (A Running Duck by Paula Gosling), the author makes the antagonist a sniper rather than a “slasher.” I imagine the slasher concept was to cash in on Richard Ramirez aka The Night Stalker, an active serial killer in the LA area at the time. Similar to how many horror films tapped into the “Satanic Panic” phenomenon, which Cobra also does.

George P. Cosmatos, the film’s Director, crafts a sumptuous feast of 80’s-era grit. The film has the same edginess as Lucio Fulci’s The New York Ripper. The nighttime is a terrifying time to be on the humid LA streets in Cosmatos’ vision. He populates them with punks and tweakers which makes things even more satisfying when Cobra clean ups said streets. The film crackles with a raw energy and isn’t afraid to bypass reality every now and again to get to where it’s going. For example, Cobretti, like many classic cops before him, drives his own car when on the case. And of course, it’s a souped-up muscle car. Can you guess whether it gets destroyed? Mhm, I bet you guessed right.

The only gripe I have with Cobra’s overall aesthetic is the violence. It’s very tame. Now there are countless stories about a bloodier, two-hour-long cut (originally only found on an early workprint), but unfortunately, Arrow Video couldn’t track that down for this new release. The final film is sorely missing some juicy 80’s squibs. With that said, Arrow did include the “TV cut” of Cobra, a meatier version of the film featuring a lot more character development, albeit less of the more “adult” stuff.

As I’m writing this review, I realize I can talk about Cobra for hours. It’s just one of those films. A very, VERY pleasing action-thriller classic. Where once I may have dismissed it in favor of more well-known films, this deserves a chance to be seen in glorious 4K.

Arrow Video’s brand-new transfer is glorious. Eye popping crispness, complete with that lovely film grain we all know and love. It still feels very 80’s, but we benefit from being able to count every follicle of stubble on Cobretti’s well-chiseled chin. The new 4K remaster also plays to one of Cobra’s obvious strengths: cinematography that’s almost too good.

So, you get Cobra in crystal clear 4K. What else do you get? Believe me when I say this release is absolutely stacked to the rafters with special features. These include, but are not limited to:

Kim Newman and Nick De Semlyen Commentary Track – A highly enjoyable track where film critics, Newman and Semlyen, dive into the history of Cobra. How it was made, its cultural impact, etc. Certainly a more academic look at the film. This is one for the film buffs!

John Nelson and Martin Pedler Commentary Track – A more lighthearted look at the film. Nelson and Pedler focus less on the history of Cobra and more on what’s happening on screen. The most humorous commentary track on the disc by far. It’s nice to hear two people as baffled by the “pizza scissors” as I am.

George P. Cosmatos Commentary Track – This one’s the most interesting commentary track on the disc, simply because we get to hear from the Director. Unfortunately, he skirts over some of the more interesting moments in the film. But there are enough juicy tidbits to please the most die-hard of Cobra fans.

White Line Nightmare (13 mins approx.) – A tongue-in-cheek video essay by Martyn Conterio on how Cobra impacted the “Maverick Cop” sub-genre. As witty as this essay is, Conterio is still able to pour his love out for a film, making this a very enjoyable little special feature.

Dark Glasses, Violence and Robots (10 mins approx.) – Abbey Bender gives us a wonderful video essay that works double-time as a loving homage to the Cobra. Filled with clever quips and juicy morsels about the film, this is a great watch.

Stalking and Slashing (26 mins approx.) – A no-holds-barred interview with Brian Thompson in which he airs all of Cobra’s dirty laundry, including a few choice (and hilarious) words about the man himself, Sly. I can say with no hyperbole that this is one of my all-time favorite special features on any release. Thompson is an absolute joy.

This release features LOADS more special features. I’m still getting through them. As far as Cobra goes, this is an absolute treasure trove. When asked at the end of the year, I think I’ll have this release as one my “Best of 2025” list. It might not have deluxe packaging, but it makes up for it through sheer volume of content.
Cobra on 4K UHD is a must. A razor sharp 80’s gem remastered with utter care and precision. This is the best it has looked and the best it will look for quite some time.

Grab your scissors. Grab your pizza. Grab your egg carton. Clean your pistol. This is one leather jacket clad classic you’re not going to want to miss.