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31 out of 36 people found the following review useful:
Inspired Chaos., 3 October 2004

Author: OttoVonB

From famous German director Werner Herzog - a man who's cinematic penchants usually include documentary-style visuals (stark but not shaky!), stories centering on man's loss of sanity, destructive ambition (or lack thereof) and outsiders, and larger than life characters - comes his last "big" film. To put it more aptly, his last film with famously bonkers actor Klaus Kinski. Both men had a famously sadomasochistic relationship and in this last effort, Kinski was reputedly totally out of control.

"Cobra Verde" marks the breaking point between these two great man. the point where Herzog and Kinski moved to far apart to ever consider working together again, the director evolving into too much of a control adept, and the leading man moving way beyond the safe boundaries of sanity. Yet the film is an extreme as a result and will divide audiences. But in truth how can this be a negative aspect: a film you either love or hate is at least interesting in most cases.

The story of bandit Cobra Verde, sent to Africa - by his former employer as a punishment for impregnating most of his daughters - to reestablish slave trade and battle an opposing bloodthirsty African tribal king, is in itself interesting and unusual enough to arouse interest, but barely suffices to convey the numerous delicacies within the film. Kinski's possessed turn may not be an adequate incarnation of the character, yet it is a powerhouse performance if only for the sheer energy deployed. And for once, Kinski is not the only raving lunatic and Herzog peppers the screenplay with often creepy and dark but hysterical lines and memorable situations and characters.

What may disturb many beyond the chaos on show is the casual cruelty on display at times. It is adequate for once. The black man is treated with as much political correctness as must have been the case in real life at the time (perhaps even somewhat less). On the other front, watching this you actually feel the suffocating heat that slowly burns away the dignity of these characters and makes them animals, sometimes far less than that. The film's mood is perfectly rendered and Herzog's visuals are surprisingly artistic and classy at times, for a film-maker preferring a more "cinéma-vérité" approach.

In the end, "Cobra Verde" is a cinematic oddity because of its taste for extremes (though they never hurt the film's own coherence and internal logic) in every sense. Nonetheless, neither Kinski nor Herzog ever displayed such artistic courage (or sheer lunacy) at any other point of their respective careers, and that's saying something!

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25 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Powerful, moody and surreal, 24 April 2002
Author: Eric-1226 from Seattle, Washington

This movie is very absorbing: the cinematography is excellent, and the movie is full of eye-popping scenery and images, as well as intense exchanges of dialogue. One just doesn't find this combination at the movies very often.

Parts of the movie have such vivid but exotic imagery, that it seems surreal (the segment where the Amazon warriors are gathering for battle is a case in point!). Other parts seem almost operatic - especially the exchanges between Francisco Manoel da Silva (Klaus Kinski) and the mad African king, who has taken da Silva prisoner and plans to kill him.

Klaus Kinski is totally compelling in the lead role as Cobra Verde, a swashbuckling bandit-rogue who, partly through fate, partly through crooked machinations of those around him, gets sent off to a Brazilian slave fortress on the coast of West Africa to scout for slaves to bring back to Brazil. I had forgotten how old a man Mr. Kinski was, and was curious to find out his age when he made this film. I checked his stats, and to my astonishment I discovered that he was 62 years old when he made this film. His performance is truly amazing. Would that I have that much fire and energy when I am 62!

I heartily recommend this movie to anyone who is sick and tired of the usual pap that too often fills the screens these days. Though this film was made in 1988, nothing in it seems dated. Just based on its subject matter, it already has a built-in "timeless" quality to it. I think it will hold up well over the years. Go rent it!

By the way, for those of you who like these sorts of films, then another movie that I would recommend as a companion piece to this film is James Ivory's "Heat and Dust" (1982). Though much more "tranquil" and sans the fiery acting of a Klaus Kinski in the lead role, that film, set in India, too had excellent cinematography and a compelling, historically-based story with memorable images and characters.

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29 out of 37 people found the following review useful:
Hey, wanna see Kinski act crazy in a Herzog film, 3 November 1999

Author: batzi8m1 from Watsonville, California

Sarcastic humor for fans of the darkside: Surprise surprise. Herzog makes a film about a man consumed by his dreams and destroyed by the conspiracies of world he lives in. And in a complete reversal from his usual light hearted comedy roles, Klaus Kinski protrays a madman getting madder.

If you liked Agirre or Fitzcaraldo, and would have liked a larger cast including Amazon warrior girls from Africa and National Geo graphic dancing then by all means see this. Warning: no light hearted romance, cute chimps or talking to the animals here. Surreal, dark, morality story with great acting and the best one liner in Herzog's repertoire while watching amazonian spear dancing (are you listening Joe Bob Briggs?)

Who are these women? They are our future murderesses.

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18 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Klaus Kinski commanding an army of topless women? Of course this was gonna be gold!, 26 December 2006

Author: TimothyFarrell from Worcester, MA

Klaus Kinski commanding an army of topless women? Of course this was gonna be gold! "Cobra Verde" was the last of the five collaborations between the legendary director Werner Herzog and the infamous madman actor Kinski. Its doesn't reach the operatic grandeur of either "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" or "Ftizcarraldo", but it does come close. The only thing that keeps this from being a classic is that the main character has a bit less depth than either the protagonists of the previously mentioned films. Still, this film will hold you in awe. No one fashioned amazon epics better than Herzog. The film is also much more briskly-paced than his other efforts and contains nice moments of surrealism.

What makes this film an absolutely memorable experience is Klaus Kinski however. For fans of Kinski, this is him at his most over-the-top and raving. No one played lunatics more convincingly than Kinski, and this is his most psychotic creation. There are moments when you aren't convinced this is acting, and Kinski often seems so tense hes going to jump out of the screen and attack the audience. He was the perfect choice to play the main character. The film is captivating throughout, and while its not the best collaboration between Herzog and Kinski, fans will eat it up. One of the best epics ever made. (9/10)

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15 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Hail to the Viceroy, 4 March 2005

Author: pedrofjmk from Germany

In principle, I would feel tempted to give it only a six. Except that then there are "buts"... But there is Werner Herzog. But there is the sociopathically brilliant Klaus Kinski. But there is that unforgettable final scene. But there is the historic memory behind the story. But there are silent scenes of sheer contemplation. But there is the image of the fortress of Elmina (originally Ajudá, or Ouidah), that lingers long after you have seen the movie. But there is the amazing sensuality of all those female-warriors in beautiful war outfits. But there is that young girl singing near the end, the lavish, teasing, provocative, self-assured look on her face, the expression in her eyes, the crystalline/aggressive sound of her voice. And 'but' there is the music. If you have read Bruce Chatwin's novel, you will be able to add up some details to the story line. The horror of the Kingdom of Daomé, for instance, is far from what BC described himself - and actually far from what history books tell us. In fact, you could build endless stories inside this movie. That's what makes it so good: all the things missing. It could have been a better achievement, but for all it's worth, it's really not the kind of movie you're likely to forget after a few weeks!

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12 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Brilliant Film, 25 August 2005
Author: dollyarbogast

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Some have called this film flawed (even the director himself), but a flawed film by Herzog is better than most anything you will ever see. The sheer beauty and passion that makes up Herzog's body of work comes shining through in this picture, his final with Kinski. One of the things that have always fascinated me about Herzog is that he travels the world to tell his stories, rather than staying in one spot, namely Germany. Here, we get a Brazilian bandit who, due to his own meddling, is sent to the west coast of Africa to reignite the floundered slave trade. Imagine that, a Brazilian bandit, played by a 61-year-old, bleached blond Polish-German actor. Kinski is in great form as the title character, with madness pouring through his teeth at every remark and sneer. He's the villain, but yet comes across as a hero by the end, but must pay for his sins. The last shot of the film is haunting and chilling. Cobra Verde, after being bought out and told that the English have placed a price on his head, desperately attempts to escape by pulling a boat into the ocean but cannot move the vessel. And in the background is a polio-ridden slave, slowly encroaching, an allegorical reminder of the crippling effect of slavery. No matter how hard he tries, Cobra Verde cannot escape his past and it comes back to haunt him. The film also contains great pieces of dialogue. When another slave baron ironically toasts to slavery and calls it the greatest misunderstanding of mankind, Cobra Verde replies and says, "It was no misunderstanding, it was a crime." There, the character parallels himself against the greatest atrocity of human history: Much like slavery, Cobra Verde's actions and fates were not through circumstance and fate, but rather through his own judgments and actions. He must not suffer through the institution of slavery himself, but by his own meddling hands and ill-gotten gains.

In a touching yet sad endpoint, the final shot of the film was the last shot of the film and the last moment in cinematic history that Herzog and Kinski worked together again. By this point, they had endured each other to the bitter end and parted ways forever. In the commentary by Herzog, he notes that despite Kinski's unruly behavior and temperamental decisions, he still missed him. He regards Kinski's performance in this film as "dirty," but yet, after viewing the film, one cannot imagine any other actor to embrace such a role.

Check this film out as soon as you can. Brilliant in every regard.

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15 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Herzog, 24 April 2002

Author: Mr__Underhill from Canada

Herzog's films are not for everyone, but everyone should be in awe of what went into these films. Gone are the days when a director could come into a project with a few hundred grand, shoot on location with a cast of thousands, and achieve something that is so authentic, yet still maintaining such beautiful film quality. This is no Blair Witch Project. The cameras don't wobble to the point of nausea.

Cobra Verde is not a politically correct film, the dialogue and plot, as usual, are bit quirky. It's a German film, and I've come to expect a bit of quirkiness from German films. This doesn't stop me from appreciating Klaus Kinsky's performance and the authentic performances of the supporting cast. Klaus for me is the William Shatner of German Cinematography. Take that whatever way you will... he's the man.

What I get most from these films is a sense of the grandeur and presence of nature. No one has ever captured the haunting feel of such locations. I keep shaking my head in awe. Where does he find these places? If I were a tourist I wish I had this knack for finding places that so well exemplify the wonders of mother earth. Real or historically accurate? Who cares!!! These are beautiful films.

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8 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
A fascinating look at some African cultures., 12 November 2005

Author: Dhaval Vyas (vogolsong@yahoo.com) from Dallastown, Pennsylvania, United States

'Cobra Verde' is at times a confusing and awkward story about a bandit who finds himself trapped within the slave trade business. What begins as a story of a feared outlaw turns out to be a story examining African cultures and the issue of slavery itself. What makes this movie more interesting than other American films slavery is that the viewer gets to see the other side of the story; the story told from an African viewpoint. International star Klaus Kinski stars a Cobra Verde. He is a feared bandit whom many people fear. When he appears in a small town, all the people runs inside their houses because they are scared to death of him. Many things are missing from Cobra Verde's past. How did he become such a feared bandit? The movie does not answer that question. Through a series of odd circumstances, he is eventually put into the slavery trade business by a group of rich aristocrats. He is sent to Africa, where it is hoped he will be killed because of the slave trade conflicts going on there. What happens is th exact opposite. He gains the trust of the African villagers and eventually trains an army to kill and enemy foe. All the while the viewers are treated to an inside look at some African customs, religions, superstitions, and society. A beautifully made film that is a little marred by changes in the sequences of the story and many things missing from the plot. Nonetheless, this film has one of the most memorable and touching death scenes I have ever seen. Bravo to Klaus Kinski.

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10 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
compelling ,stunning and dark work, 28 December 1999
Author: che-29 from U.S.A.

'Cobra Verde' is a really great movie!!I was surprised because i never hear this film praised by critics.I've been an avid Herzog fan for years and even after all these years his films still have the power to shock me. there are many bizarre and stunning images in this film.It's really a fascinating movie,and would be good to use in a world history class.Klaus kinski is really great in the title role ,and Herzog's trademark visuals have never been better.Some of the visuals I found to be very disturbing,One scene in particular that is straight out of a jodorowsky film. The film has a very powerful ending that will have great impact on anyone who likes films.See it even if your not into herzog's movies.

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10 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Epic film, Kinsky's last, 14 August 2006

Author: spacemonkey_fg from Puerto Rico

Director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinsky did many films together. They were all spectacular because of Herzogs direction and they all had an intensely insane looking leading man because of Kinskys solid performances. Cobra Verde was their last collaboration together because three years after making this film Kinsky died. He left a great legacy as an actor and Cobra Verde is a prime example of that.

The story is about Francisco Manuel (aka the Bandit of Cobra Verde) a bandit who goes from town to town looking for a strange new world. Basically everyone fears him because he is untamable, like a wild beast. One day, he gets a job taking care of slaves in a Sugar Cane field and he gets to live in the same house as his boss, the owner of the fields. Cobra Verde being the bandit that he is has his way with not one, but all three of the bosses daughters and gets them pregnant. The boss, looking for a way to get back at Cobra Verde for what he did, sends him on a mission to Africa to buy more slaves. Of course the bosses real intentions are to get Cobra Verde killed in the journey. What they don't know is that Cobra Verde is not a person who easily gives up and hes a tough cookie to kill. And so begins Cobra Verdes journey into the hot, deadly and colorful depths of Africa.

This movie, like many of Herzogs films is a journey into the unknown. I love how Herzog does that in all his films. Transporting us to strange places that truly exist, but are so wondrous and amazing that they have a surreal dreamlike feel to them. On Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre we went deep into the Amazonian Jungle, but on Cobra Verde we get to see the heart and soul of Africa. Once the movie gets to Africa (on its second half) things get really interesting and you will find yourselves completely immersed in the African culture. From the injustices of slavery to the savagery of African tribes. It was all new, strange and different to me because Herzog really went in there and found incredible real life locations in which to shoot Cobra Verde. Its as if Herzog searches out these incredible places, dives deep into them, and then brings them back to us via his films for us to enjoy.

This movie is epic in scale and it shows in every single frame of film. We get hundreds of extras in many scenes. One particular scene stood out and its the one in which Kinsky trains hundreds of African women all dressed in their war attire and marching while singing their war songs. It was fantastic and epic and I loved every second of it. Not only that but its even more amazing when I learned that this huge looking film only cost two million dollars to make! I was unaware that a film of such grand scale could be made with so little money. Hollywood could learn a thing or two from Herzogs style of film-making.

Klaus Kinsky once again turns in an intense performance as the titular character. He certainly goes in a journey from being a bandit to becoming the king of an African tribe. I really got to like his character because he is a guy who literally does what he wants and has complete freedom over what to do with his life. Nobody tells this guy what to do, but once he sets his sites on achieving a goal (and its usually something pretty daunting) he goes all the way to make it happen.

Even when he accepts the responsibilities and challenges involved in going to Africa and taking slaves back to Brazil considering that slavery is almost completely abolished, he does it with a sure hand, ready to face whatever situations life might hurl at him. And Kinsky does all this with his own brand style, that crazy look the wild hair. In one particular scene in which he is training thousands of African women to go to war he goes completely ballistic trying to teach them how to properly handle a shield and a spear.

I've got a few complaints though, this movie has a few loopholes and unrealistic situations. I think a lot of it has to do with Herzog trying to evoke a feeling of otherworldliness and strangeness but in one particular scene Cobra Verde has to send a message from on place to another and he does it via thousands of people standing in line doing these secret signals with white flags and one person duplicates the message until it reaches the other person hundreds of miles away. This scene might lend itself for a beautiful and strange image, but its completely unrealistic! But I was willing to let it go for sake of artistic liberty. Another thing that grated me the wrong way was how one of the African kings spoke perfect English, as well as all his followers. The scene would have been a lot more believable with the king having a translator, but as it was filmed, its hard to believe that a king in the middle of Africa would speak English, and much less have all his thousands of followers understand him and cheer him. Again, a minor set back in a great film.

Like many of Herzogs films, the pace is sometimes slow, but when Herzog wants to amaze you he will. There will be moments of heavy dialog, and slow situations and then Whamo! Herzog will hit you in the head with something truly amazing. Trust me on this, this movie has many surprises up its sleeves! And you wont be disappointed if you enjoy movies that take you to strange new worlds.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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