Black Cobra

Stelvio Massi, the Roger Corman of Italy, cranked out an average of 4 films per year from 1954 to his death in 1994. Considering the haste, budgetary constraints and saturation problems this kind of schedule creates, Massi's films are much much better than they have any right to be.

Black Cobra stars a slightly bloated Fred "The Hammer" Williamson as an African American version of Dirty Harry - Detective Malone. Malone disobeys orders, doesn't compromise with people who he judges to be "scumbags" and is more than happy to contribute a little lead to anybody who asks for it. A female photographer has run afoul of a group of sociopathic, but nicely groomed, bikers and Malone is to be her protector.

Though not original, the story is decently told, and the script, although poorly dubbed, is OK. The acting is about what you would expect from a film of this nature, but some of the Italians are actually good. Nevertheless, the film did manage to cure my insomnia three nights in a row before I finally finished it last night and staggered off to bed in a daze.

For Completists Only.

I love B movies and I enjoyed Black Cobra. I wanted something to watch one rainy afternoon (I noticed that another reviewer watched it like that too) and so I gave this a look and I'm glad I did. Black Cobra is low low budget flick that provided enjoyable escapism for 90 minutes and kept me entertained. This is the type of film that you really have to accept on it's own terms or just leave alone. Ripping it apart would be easy but all the things that one could criticize are the exact same things that make Black Cobra the entertaining low budget flick that it is. One last thing: I agree with the other reviews that say the music in this flick sounds like it should be from a zombie movie. The Hammer should fight zombies in Black Cobra 4. I HOPE SOMEBODY READS THIS AND MAKES IT HAPPEN.

This is one of the films on the super-cheapo Brentwood 4 movie DVD set called Dealin Dirty.

Fred Williamson vs. a poofy bunch of 5'3" twerps on dirtbikes. I can't think of one good thing to say about this movie. An incoherent steaming pile. Fred is obviously bored by the film, to his credit he doesn't even try to act (...I dont show up 'till the check clears...got it??). Some of the nameless Italian actors do try to act a bit. Not really much point though, because it seems like someone lost the only copy of the script about half way through shooting.

The highlight of the film is the chief bad-guy. He looks like Pete Sampras' little brother after illegal estrogen therapy. He tries to menace, but no one can convincingly menace in bluejeans that are so well ironed.

There are a few unintentionally hilarious lines, like the almost-verbatim rip-off of the "do you feel lucky punk" dialog from one of my favorite Clint Eastwood flicks. It would have been genius if the lines were exactly the

same, but one of the sub-genius writers must have thought that no one would notice that he ripped the lines off if he changed a few words. Good thinking - that was close.

Overall Black Cobra is, poorly filmed, terribly scripted, terribly acted, and generally idiotic. Worst of all it is boaring.

I just thought of something good to say...Black Cobra is a lot better than the film Dealin Dirty (shot on video) that the DVD set is named for. Just the title sequence was enough to make me flip to the Anna Nicole Smith Show.

AVOID THE WHOLE SET!

Cobra Nero or The Black Cobra is more less like Stallone's Cobra although this film is trying to be like it.

It's a B-movie story as Fred Williamson goes after a group of bikers who threatens a community.

This film not only lacks characteristic wise, but it has its few dull moments. Fred Williamson's character Malone doesn't look too happy. The viewer knows he's tough but there's not enough life in this character.

The music score is well.. not good. The acting's not really up to scratch, but scriptwise? (I'm shaking my head) Not my cup of tea.

If anyone remembers seeing this movie, you could see it on a rainy day. I did. ..And I was slightly happy!

12-01-2005 I just finished watching "Black Cobra" for the second time. The first time I watched it was four years ago when a friend had taped it off the air on a blank video cassette. I only saw the last half of the movie then...but I really liked it.

While it is clearly not in the genre of Eastwood's "Magnum Force" or "Dirty Harry" and probably is not as good as either Willis' "Die Hard" or Gibson's "Lethal Weapon", the film is still pretty good. The writing is not great but the "street action" carries the film well. Marian Cobretti and Martin Riggs could have learned some useful things. Mr. Williamson is good. Like Cobretti and Riggs, our Fred has "style".

I happen to like Fred Williamson, the actor. I liked him in "Joshua" and paid fulI price for the video cassette. In my mind, you don't get a lot better than " The Snake scene" in "Joshua" or the final "You're yella" scene with Karl Malden, in "Nevada Smith". Both are great movies. Williamson is good. I'd like to see more of his work...in conjunction with good screen play writing.