King Cobra

Name: King Cobra
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: October 21, 2016
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 48

2016

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Ratings

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5.9

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5.9	Your Score
5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Ratings

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King Cobra

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: October 21, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: It’s 2006, YouTube is in its infancy, and internet porn is still behind a paywall. Taking the stage name Brent Corrigan, a fresh-faced, wannabe adult video performer (Garrett Clayton) is molded into a star by Stephen (Christian Slater), a closeted gay porn mogul who runs the skin flick empire Cobra Video from his seemingly ordinary suburbanIt’s 2006, YouTube is in its infancy, and internet porn is still behind a paywall. Taking the stage name Brent Corrigan, a fresh-faced, wannabe adult video performer (Garrett Clayton) is molded into a star by Stephen (Christian Slater), a closeted gay porn mogul who runs the skin flick empire Cobra Video from his seemingly ordinary suburban home. But as Brent’s rise and demands for more money put him at odds with his boss, he also attracts the attention of a rival producer (James Franco) and his unstable lover (Keegan Allen) who will stop at nothing to squash Cobra Video and steal its number one star. [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Justin Kelly

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Apr 18, 2016

At heart, King Cobra compellingly traces the palpable tension between the performative nature of gay porn and the privacy of queer shame. Read full review

Dan Callahan

Apr 18, 2016

Movies don’t get much juicier, funnier, creepier, sadder, or smarter than writer-director Justin Kelly‘s King Cobra. Read full review

Matt Donato

Oct 22, 2016

King Cobra has the intensity, excitement and poison every thriller needs, and wild, engaging performances to boot. Read full review

Rex Reed

Oct 19, 2016

King Cobra is a cut above most homoerotic masturbatory screen fantasies, but not by much. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Godfrey Cheshire

Oct 28, 2016

Is it a real film, or a feature that uses the porn milieu to turn out a piece of softcore titillation that’s halfway between porn and actual drama? No doubt some of the film’s makers and defenders would argue for the former. Read full review

Stephen Holden

Oct 20, 2016

To say it feels reasonably authentic doesn’t mean it’s very good. Mr. Kelly, who directed the well-received “I Am Michael,” starring Mr. Franco as a Christian pastor with a gay past, clearly knows the territory, but he barely skims the surface. Read full review

Diego Semerene

Oct 18, 2016

It’s difficult to find a reason for the film's existence beyond a spoiled platform for James Franco's ersatz boldness. Read full review

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User Reviews

Abrahamparke

Nov 12, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It is a fascinating movie with lots of sex and porn talks about gay love and pornography… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

cspencere

Oct 22, 2016

King Cobra has a lot to offer, from an intriguingly dark true story to an all-star cast. Slater slays his role as Bryan Kocis, the gay porn tycoon whose murder shook the gay porn industry back in 2007, as does Disney protege Garrett Clayton, who is clearly trying to shed his family-friendlyKing Cobra has a lot to offer, from an intriguingly dark true story to an all-star cast. Slater slays his role as Bryan Kocis, the gay porn tycoon whose murder shook the gay porn industry back in 2007, as does Disney protege Garrett Clayton, who is clearly trying to shed his family-friendly image. Franco also delivers crazy very well as Joe, aka Joseph Kerekes, known for teaming up with his lover Harlow Cuadra (Keegan Allen) for the murder. It's a fun, yet scary look into the gay porn industry and what it takes to make it to the top, with some good music too!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

foxgrove

Nov 4, 2016

The tongue is not the only thing in the cheek of this entertainingly brisk and breezy look at the gay porn industry. Telling the story of the murder of a porn king at the behest of some disgruntled stars, the film is never as shocking as its subject would suggest but is always entirelyThe tongue is not the only thing in the cheek of this entertainingly brisk and breezy look at the gay porn industry. Telling the story of the murder of a porn king at the behest of some disgruntled stars, the film is never as shocking as its subject would suggest but is always entirely watchable. Director Justin Kelly has assembled an unusual choice of actors for this specialised venture many of whom had their heyday in the 80’s and 90’s. Even with all the male flesh on display the real revelation comes in the shape of Christian Slater who is really quite surprising here, especially given his fairly conventional output of the last few years. Aside from Slater, Molly Ringwald turn up looking great. Ditto Alicia Silverstone who seems a bit off key as the mother of up and coming porn star, very well played by Disney ingénue Garrett Clayton. The star of the show however, although not necessarily the best performance, is James Franco who acts as well as produces. He succeeds once again in further muddying the water with regards to his involvement in these types of unconventional projects.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

goncalocouto

Oct 20, 2018

"King Cobra" tem muito a oferecer, desde uma história verdadeira e intrigantemente sombria a um elenco de estrelas.
7/10

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

hornysoul

Sep 23, 2018

"King Cobra" tem muito a oferecer, desde uma história verdadeira e intrigantemente sombria a um elenco de estrelas (James Franco, Garrett Clayton, Keegan Allen e Christian Slater). É um olhar divertido, mas assustador, para a indústria pornográfica gay, com boa música também.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Nov 14, 2016

I am a big supporter of gay themed films and The Gateway Theatre that over the years have played many of them. I was happy when “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks became a ‘cross-over’ film and though I didn’t like “Brokeback Mountain” I cheered when crowds filled the theatres to see it. OtherI am a big supporter of gay themed films and The Gateway Theatre that over the years have played many of them. I was happy when “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks became a ‘cross-over’ film and though I didn’t like “Brokeback Mountain” I cheered when crowds filled the theatres to see it. Other movies like “Milk”, “A Single Man”, “Maurice”, “In & Out”, “Boys Don’t Cry”, just to name a few, were box office hits portraying real, believable, gay people that attracted all demographics to see them. This month “Moonlight” about a Black kid/teenager/man is seeing many people who ordinarily wouldn’t come to see a ‘Black’ and/or “Gay’ themed film.

This is a roundabout way for a review of “King Cobra” and a hope that it doesn’t become a crossover film—it wasn’t at the performance I attended. Supposedly based on a true story about a competition in the porn industry between 2 DOM (dirty old men for those who don’t know) and the twinkies they pursue. There is a lot of gratuitous nude butt shots and is basically soft core porn though tame compared what you can see on cable TV on Showtime/HBO, etc. And no frontal nudity in a film about porn?!?!

Why is James Franco famous? I had to look up his credits to see where I might know him from and I think I saw him in Spiderman but I wouldn’t bet on it. Luckily Christian Slater had a dynamite role in the new TV series “Mr. Robot” and has done a few good film roles before this because I have no idea why he made this film unless he needs money for one of his kid’s college education! What the heck are Alicia Silverstone and Molly Ringwald doing in these throw away roles? Is it punishment for something? The less said about the younger actors the better and hopefully they will get out of the film business—porn or otherwise!

Skip “King Cobra” and if you have gay friends tell them not to see it. Maybe The Gateway Theatre can get a good gay themed film soon and if anyone wants to see an excellent film about the porn industry rent “Boggie Nights” from 1997 which got Oscar nods for Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds and shows Mark Wahlberg who knew how to play a twinkie porn star!

(I GAVE IT 2 STARS FOR TWO OF THE BUTT SCENES--YOU CAN SEE BETTER BUTTS ON THE INTERNET!)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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