Cobra Verde
Seen it?1987 | 111 min | Adventure, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Solid across the board without standing out anywhere. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for adventure fans. If you loved Lord of the Flies or Mutiny on the Bounty, start here.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 51 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
A fearsome 19th century bandit, Cobra Verde cuts a swath through Brazil until he arrives at the sugar plantation of Don Octávio Countinho. Not knowing that his new guest is the notorious bandit and impressed by his ruthless ways, Don Octávio hires Cobra Verde to oversee his slaves. But when Cobra Verde impregnates Don Octávio’s three daughters, the incensed plantation owner exiles the outlaw to Africa where he is expected to reopen the slave trade. Following his trans-Atlantic journey, Cobra Verde exploits tribal conflicts to commandeer an abandoned fortress and whips an army of naked warriors into a frenzied bloodlust as he vies for survival.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 55 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 74K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
The Emerald Forest Sunday Safe BetAnother adventure, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Lord of the Flies
Saturday SpecialAnother drama, and a Saturday Special.
Doctor Who: Last Christmas Sunday Safe BetAnother adventure, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Mutiny on the Bounty
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed adventure that fewer people know today.
Last Breath Saturday SpecialAnother drama, and a Saturday Special.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Werner Herzog
- Klaus KinskiFrancisco Manoel da Silva aka Cobra Verde
- King AmpawTaparica
- José LewgoyDon Octavio Coutinho
- Salvatore BasileCaptain Fraternidade
- Peter BerlingBernabé
- Guillermo CoronelEuclides
- Nana Agyefi Kwame IIBossa Ahadee
- Nana Fedu AbodoYovogan
- Kofi YerenkyiBakoko
- Kwesi FaseKankpe