Cobra (1986)

“Cobra” (1986), directed by George P. Cosmatos, is a high-octane action thriller that showcases Sylvester Stallone at the peak of his 80s action-hero fame. With a premise steeped in vigilante justice, a charismatic anti-hero lead, and a slew of over-the-top action sequences, Cobra is the quintessential action film of its era. Packed with gritty one-liners, explosive shootouts, and a stylish sense of cool, this cult classic still manages to pack a punch more than three decades after its release.
The film follows Marion “Cobra” Cobretti (Sylvester Stallone), a tough-as-nails cop in a near-future dystopian version of Los Angeles, where crime runs rampant and society teeters on the edge of chaos. Cobra is a member of the Zombie Squad, a special police unit tasked with taking down the most dangerous criminals, but his unorthodox methods often put him at odds with his superiors. He’s a lone wolf with a no-nonsense attitude: he doesn’t follow the rules, and he gets the job done no matter what.
When a deranged gang known as “The New Order” starts terrorizing the city, Cobra is assigned to protect the only witness who can testify against them— a woman named Ingrid (Brigitte Nielsen), who becomes a target after witnessing one of the group’s brutal murders. As Cobra tries to keep her safe, the relentless killers pursue them, leading to a series of intense, action-packed confrontations. Cobra’s mission becomes personal as he seeks to eliminate the gang once and for all, but his own violent tendencies start to blur the lines between right and wrong.