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Jacob's Ladder

Play trailer Poster for Jacob's Ladder R Released Nov 2, 1990 1h 53m Horror Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 69 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie (Elizabeth Peña), and ex-wife, Sarah (Patricia Kalember), try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis (Danny Aiello), fails to reach him as he descends into madness.
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Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder

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Critics Consensus

Even with its disorienting leaps of logic and structure, Jacob's Ladder is an engrossing, nerve-shattering experience.

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Critics Reviews

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John Hartl Seattle Times For hours and days after you've seen it, you'll still be putting it together in your head. While all of it is gripping, it doesn't come together until the final scene, which is jolting, transcendent, unexpected yet inevitable. Rated: 4/4 Aug 23, 2014 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune As long as the movie refuses to commit itself, it is a truly creepy, nerve-jangling experience. Rated: 3/4 Aug 23, 2014 Full Review Peter Rainer Los Angeles Times In the best puzzle movies, the pieces fit -- eventually. But if you try to piece together Jacob's Ladder, all you get for your trouble is more pieces. Aug 23, 2014 Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Manages to deliver nightmarish imagery, psychological torment, and a gripping relationship drama all wrapped up in a frightening and mysterious package. Rated: 4/5 Sep 22, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) This is gibberish. [Full review in Spanish] Dec 1, 2022 Full Review Graeme Tuckett The Post NZ It is just one of those films that will get under your skin and stay with you. In 31 years, it hasn't aged a day. Oct 25, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tezus G Weet dan niemand waar de film over gaat? Er wordt gesproken in raadsels, terwijl het eigenlijk niet zo moeilijk is. Het gaat namelijk over drugs die het leger uitvoerde op zijn militairen. Echt gebeurd trouwens ben jammer genoeg de naam vergeten ven de drugs en kan het niet meer terug vinden, deze film staat in de top tien allertijden voor mij, denk dat ik hem +- 6 keer gezien heb, is een goede om hem beter te zien, ik zie sowieso het Amerikaanse sprookje, veel succes allemaal en probeer hem met andere ogen te zien. Oja èèn ding de nr1 film is Ran. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/04/25 Full Review thiago s Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/27/25 Full Review James B A cinematic masterpiece, my favourite movie I’ve ever watched, but, it’s a very confusing plot, won’t spoil it, but it’s also the most confusing movie I’ve watched, doesn’t make it bad, just saying it’s not for everyone, and, on that note, it’s quite graphic, so again, not for every one. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/22/25 Full Review W.L. C "Jacob's Ladder" has been on my list of films to see for the last 34 years. I was intrigued and highly entertained throughout, and I had hoped for a resolution that would tie it all together nicely. Sadly, I didn't get that, and the film was completely ruined by the cheap twist at the end--one that is endlessly used by writers running out of time or imagination (or both). Robbins' performance is stellar and Peña is excellent, but Aiello steals the movie in a single scene. Add to this the now-famous practical horror effect of the "demonic head shake"--in which an actor is filmed at a low frames-per-second rate while shaking their head without moving their shoulders--and the film is a nearly perfect conspiracy and mental health awareness tale...and then the ending crumples it up and throws it in the trash. There is no payoff, no resolution, no room left for, "I wonder what happened to Jake." You know, and you're angry. Rating would have been higher if not for the end. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 08/19/25 Full Review Matt C If you really and truly understand this film, then you would agree that this is one of the darkest and yet one of the most beautiful films you will ever see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/25 Full Review Don J Robbins' and Pena's scenes together are the highlight of the film, so natural, so bright Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/17/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Jacob's Ladder

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Movie Info

Synopsis After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie (Elizabeth Peña), and ex-wife, Sarah (Patricia Kalember), try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis (Danny Aiello), fails to reach him as he descends into madness.
Director
Adrian Lyne
Producer
Alan Marshall
Screenwriter
Bruce Joel Rubin
Distributor
Image Entertainment Inc., TriStar Pictures
Production Co
Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 2, 1990, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.8M
Runtime
1h 53m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR
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