48
Metascore
16 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichAt heart, King Cobra compellingly traces the palpable tension between the performative nature of gay porn and the privacy of queer shame.
- 80TheWrapDan CallahanTheWrapDan CallahanMovies don’t get much juicier, funnier, creepier, sadder, or smarter than writer-director Justin Kelly‘s King Cobra.
- 75The Film StageJohn FinkThe Film StageJohn FinkKing Cobra is a lurid piece of business that, at times, goes gleefully over the top while lacking the kind of gut punch you might expect in the film’s third act.
- 70Screen DailyGraham FullerScreen DailyGraham FullerJustin Kelly’s King Cobra bears the distinction of being the first optimistic black comedy set in the world of gay porn production that’s also extremely classy.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeKelly spends so long establishing these two relationships, looking at the gifts and the internet fame and the inevitable possessiveness, that he has little time for the developments that might've turned a better paced version of this story into a true-crime nailbiter.
- 40VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeKing Cobra is all smut and no soul, a tacky, superficially titillating reunion between Franco and “I Am Michael” director Justin Kelly.
- 40Village VoicePete Vonder HaarVillage VoicePete Vonder HaarThe unique setting aside, there's just not much to sink your fangs into.
- 0Slant MagazineDiego SemereneSlant MagazineDiego SemereneIt’s difficult to find a reason for the film's existence beyond a spoiled platform for James Franco's ersatz boldness.