
ThegloryyearsoftheItalianPoliziottesco(cop/crimethriller)wereactuallyalreadyoverin1980,butwegladlymakeanexceptionincasedirectorEnzoG.CastellariandactorFrancoNeroteamupforanothercultefforttogether.ThelusciousasalwaysSybilDanningaddressestoFranco'scharacterasHumphreyBogartatonepoint,andamoreaccuratedescriptionIcouldn'tpossiblygive!Atthestartofthefilm,LarryStazianiisasleazySanFranciscanprivateeyeoccupiedwithstalkingunfaithfulhousewivesandlocatingrichwomen'slostdogs,buthe'scalledbacktohishomecountryofItalytohelparrestahomosexualsuper-criminalbythenameofKadrinksy(orsomething).ItquicklybecomesobviousthatLarryalsohasapersonalscoretosettlewiththisobscureindividual,ashiscorruptnesscausedLarry'scareerdownfallandevenanimprisonment.Ohwell,atleastbytravelingvoluntarilytoItalytosettlethevendetta,Larryre-earnshistrademarknicknameof"TheCobra".ThisprimarilyisafilmtopleaseFranco'smanyavidfans,andundeniablyhe'scoolerthancoolastheCobra.Hecontinuouslybouncesalittletoyballagainsttheheadsofhisopponents,deliberatelyruinsmillionsworthofcocainerightinfrontofthedealers'eyes,stickshimgumonpeople'sforeheads,slapswomeninthefaceandyetstilltheythrowthemselvesathisfeetnotevenameretwominuteslater!Nero'svividperformancemakesyouforgetthattheplotisactuallyjustmediocreandnothingyouhaven'tseenadozentimesbefore.Therearesomeoccasionalflashesofsheereccentricbrilliance,liketheCobra'sKung-Fubattlewithatransvestiteforexample!ThedialogsarefluentlywrittenandNeroreceivesexcellentsupportfromDanning,veteranactorWilliamBergerandEnnioGirolami(thedirector'sbrother)asasinisterkiller.There'safairamountofaction,thoughsadlynothingreallysadistic,andthefilmcomestheobligatorycatchythemesongentitled"Don'tGiveaDamn,IamtheCobra".







