Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 6, 2025

Sylvester Stallone was already Rocky and Rambo by the time Cobra was released, and it seems patently obvious, especially given the fact that Stallone himself wrote this film, that a new franchise was at least being considered. In that regard, it's another prime example of the vagaries of the film industry that while Cobra the character was not revisited by Stallone, the source novel was remade around a decade after this film as Fair Game. Cobra has had a couple of previous 1080 releases (see below), but now Arrow is revisiting the title in 4K, with their typically generous assortment of both new and archival bonus features.

As mentioned above, Cobra has had two previous 1080 releases in Region A, and those interested in plot recaps, lists of supplements and reactions to technical presentations are encouraged to visit the following reviews:

Cobra Blu-ray review is Martin Liebman's take on Warner Brothers' 1080 release from 2011

Cobra Blu-ray review is Stephen Larson's take on Shout! Factory's 1080 release from 2019

Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: This release does not include a 1080 Blu-ray, so these screenshots are taken directly from the 4K UHD disc and downscaled to 1080 and SDR. Since this release does not include a 1080 disc, the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.

Cobra is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the presentation:

Cobra has been exclusively restored by Arrow Films. The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with Eagle stereo (Ultra Stereo), 4.0 and legacy 5.1 audio.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K 16 bit at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. The film was restored in 4K and color graded at Silver Salt.

The Eagle stereo (Ultra Stereo) and 4.0 mixes were source from mags by Warner Bros.

All materials sourced for this new mater were made available by Warner Bros.

QC review was completed by Pixelogic.

This is another impressive looking 4K upgrade and should certainly be considered the most authoritative presentation yet, especially considering the pretty lackluster first Warner Brothers 1080 disc, and then the admittedly better looking Shout! Factory presentation, though that was culled from an IP rather than the negative, already a big plus for this version. Unsurprisingly, the best pop here tends to be the most brightly lit outdoor material, and the last third or so of the film is quite expressive in that regard, with some amazingly saturated blue skies and some especially forceful reds (take a gander at that great old vintage Coca Cola dispenser). Interestingly in that regard, the Dolby Vision / HDR grades certainly add some vividness overall, but some of those aforementioned reds tend to verge more into orange territory in this version (as in some of the opening credits and then later some evocative lighting of Stallone's face). I frankly still wouldn't have minded at least a bit more shadow definition from the HDR grades, and if there's any niggling deficit here, it may be in the darkest material, which can still offer relatively little detail or even discernable objects on occasion. This is another quite heavily grainy looking affair, and there are some passingly curious variances in thickness, as in the chase scene toward the end, where cutaways to various vehicles can see noticeable variances in grain structure.

Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Arrow provides DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options for this release, and all three tracks boast excellent fidelity and some extremely wide dynamic range. Both of the surround tracks significantly open up the glut of ambient environmental sounds and Sylvester Levay's synth drenched score. The two surround tracks also have a more full bodied midrange and especially low end, but the stereo track is rather widely imaged overall and gives a surprisingly vivid account of both effects and score. Dialogue (such as it is) is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: I've marked the new supplements below with an asterisk (*). More information on the ported over supplements is available in the above linked reviews of the previous 1080 releases by Warner Brothers and Shout! Factory.

• Commentaries

Critics Kim Newman & Nick De Semlyen (2025)*




Critics Josh Nelson & Martyn Pedler (2025)*




Director George Pan Cosmatos (2001)

• TV Version (HD; 1:34:32 ) offers a television version previously unavailable on home video. This is in 1.33:1 with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio, culled from a standard definition source.


• White Line Nightmare* (HD; 13:32) is an interesting visual essay by Martyn Coterio looking at the "maverick cop" genre.


• Dark Glasses, Violence & Robots* (HD; 10:12) is another new visual essay, this one by Abbey Bender focusing on the hyperbolic tendencies of 80s genre cinema.


• Slashing the Night Away* (HD; 17:23) is a new interview with composer Sylvester Levay.


• Stalking and Slashing (HD; 26:01) is an interview with actor Brian Thompson.


• Meet the Disease (HD; 24:06) is an interview with actor Marco Rodriguez.


• Feel the Heat (HD; 14:16) is an interview with actor Andrew Robinson.


• Double Crossed (HD; 9:06) is an interview with actress Lee Garlington.


• A Work of Art (HD; 8:24) is an interview with actor Art LaFleur.


• The Making of Cobra (HD; 7:51) is an archival promotional featurette.


• Trailers

Teaser Trailer (HD; 1:21)




Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:56)

• Image Gallery (HD)

This Limited Edition comes a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork, with those images also available on a double sided fold out poster. The insert booklet is unusually well appointed, with four interesting essays (in a relatively miniscule font), along with the usual cast, crew and technical information. Packaging features a slipcover.

Cobra 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cobra is a virtual time capsule in any number of ways, and as such even its at the time notorious violence may almost seem quaint by today's standards. Arrow is providing yet another cult item with solid technical merits and really appealing supplements, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.