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Operation Cobra

Name: Operation Cobra
Director: Ola Solum
Released: 1978
Duration: 88 min

Representation Score

2.2/10

Limited

1978

Director

Ola Solum

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Operation Cobra is a 1970s political thriller that emphasizes high-stakes geopolitical tension and domestic crisis over social complexity. The story revolves around a resourceful boy and his friends trying to stop a terrorist attack on the US Secretary of State. The film adheres to conventional genre structures, focusing on state security and traditional heroism. Although it touches on international conflict, it lacks the depth and intentional disruption of social norms found in more progressive works. Overall, the film reflects the production standards of its time, centering on a local Norwegian family and state-level diplomacy without making efforts to diversify character identities or challenge systemic hierarchies.

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Category Breakdown

Does Operation Cobra have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with non-cisgender identities or same-sex relationships. It also does not critique the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Operation Cobra portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on a resourceful boy, which aligns with traditional masculine roles. There are no specific instances where the film challenges gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Operation Cobra?

Limited

The film is set in Oslo and involves conflicts with the Middle East, suggesting potential for diverse representation. However, the emphasis on local police and families might give a Eurocentric perspective.

How does Operation Cobra represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film deals with international diplomacy and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It follows a traditional conflict storyline without critiquing Western institutions.

Does Operation Cobra include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities in the film. The narrative does not address disability representation.

Present on Screen

Engages with international diplomacy and global geopolitical tensions.
Moves beyond simple domestic drama by incorporating systemic political conflict.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender narratives.
Relies on traditional masculine roles for its central protagonist.
Shows a potential lean toward a homogeneous, Eurocentric perspective.
Provides no evidence of characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

The US Secretary of State is on an official visit to Oslo. Among other things, the Middle East conflict will be discussed at the meeting. The Norwegian police are on high alert, helicopters are circling above the treetops, and there are fears of terrorist attacks against the minister. A terrorist group that has planned to kill the Secretary of State overpowers an innocent family in Fornebu and uses their house as a base for planning the assassination. The resourceful son of the house and his two schoolmates devise a cunning plan to stop the assassination plans. A missile system called Cobra plays an important role in the drama.

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