Sylvester Stallone’s hyperviolent action movie Cobra is a thinly disguised remake of Clint Eastwood classic Dirty Harry. By the mid-1980s, Sylvester Stallone franchises like Rocky and Rambo were riding high. With 1986’s Cobra, Stallone sought to create a new series for himself, with the film following the тιтular, rule-breaking L.A. cop as he chased a gang of serial killers. Cobra grossed a solid $160 million (via WorldwideBoxoffice) in total, though it faced a predictably bleak ᴀssessment by critics, and stands at 17% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Cobra is something of a cult favorite now for its over-the-top action and one-liners, but it didn’t spawn the Stallone action movie series he hoped it would. There have been suggestions that the star himself ghost-directed the thriller too, though Stallone has expressed disappointment with the end result, labeling it “half-baked” during a 2023 Q&A (via The Toronto International Film Festival/Facebook). Fans of the Dirty Harry movies may have noticed Cobra borrows a few elements from the Eastwood saga; in fact, the film plays out as a more action-packed reboot.
Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra Is A Stealth Remake Of Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry
Two Dirty Harry cast members even fill out Cobra’s cast
A surface-level reading of Cobra exposes some immediate similarities with Dirty Harry, with both featuring tough cops who ignore the rules, carry signature handguns, and chase down a killer terrorizing a city. Digging beneath the surface, the two films share even more in common. Cobra’s partner Gonzales is played by Reni Santoni, who also played Harry’s partner Gonzalez in Dirty Harry. Andrew Robinson, who played Scorpio in Dirty Harry, also appears as Monte, a detective who despises Cobra’s violent ways.
While Cobra sees the main character fighting a cult of killers who seek to “purge” the weak from society, his true foe is The Night Slasher (Brian Thompson). Just like Dirty Harry saw Clint Eastwood’s Harry and Scorpio become mortal enemies, Cobra and The Night Slasher share the same dynamic. This includes a final showdown in an isolated industrial setting where the leads forego arresting the killers in favor of just killing them. Cobra even homages the opening of Dirty Harry sequel Magnum Force, with both featuring intense close-ups of the main character’s handgun as they slowly turn toward the camera.
Cobra is loosely based on the novel Fair Game by Paula Gosling, which was later readapted as the William Baldwin/Cindy Crawford vehicle Fair Game in 1995.
Cobra even takes Dirty Harry’s commentary on the ineffectiveness of the justice system to extremes. Cobra believes the law is so heavily skewed towards the guilty rather than victims that his first resort tends to be shooting first – and never leaving anyone alive to ask questions. Dirty Harry, for all its controversy upon release, took a more nuanced look at such questions, but Stallone invites viewers not to think too much and just enjoy seeing Cobra take down various punks. This makes for a cathartic viewing experience, even if it’s morally quite questionable.
Why Cobra Failed As A Franchise, Despite The Original Being A Hit
Could Cobra return as a TV show?
Compared to the $300 million that both Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part 2 grossed the year prior, Cobra must have appeared like a comparative disappointment in 1986. Still, $160 million is nothing to be sniffed at, and there was talk of a Cobra sequel happening shortly after its release. There has never been a concrete reason given for the follow-up not happening, though Stallone has offered some explanations. Going back to his Toronto International Film Festival comments, Stallone feels he should have directed Cobra and believes he wasn’t as focused on the project as he should have been.
Whereas Dirty Harry became Eastwood’s signature franchise, Stallone has yet to reprise the role of Marion “Cobra” Cobretti. The star previously mentioned to Fandango that director Robert Rodriguez was developing a Cobra TV series, but little has been heard of the project since 2019. While the film endures among fans of the action genre, Cobra just hasn’t stuck around in the zeitgeist in the way that Rambo or Rocky has.
Perhaps it’s best that Cobra was a one-and-done, since it’s hard to see a sequel topping the original…
The film is a cheesy and entertaining action ride, but it’s no Dirty Harry. Eastwood’s 1971 thriller is a disturbing, stylish thriller with some iconic moments and treats the subject matter seriously, whereas Stallone’s film is practically a live-action version of McBain from The Simpsons. Perhaps it’s best that Cobra was a one-and-done, since it’s hard to see a sequel topping the original in terms of entertainment value.
Source: WorldwideBoxoffice, Rotten Tomatoes, Facebook, Fandango
