Jacob's Ladder

R

Released Nov 2, 1990

1 hr. 53 min.

Horror

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

72%

69 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

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

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Jaydin R

This is an incredibly intelligent movie that I think paved the way for future artists and the psychological horror genre as a whole. Underneath the conspiratorial ideas and real world connections that do actually heighten the movie in certain ways - there is an incredibly good story about a man being swayed different directions of demons and angels. The struggles Jacob faces, and the way the story goes makes this movie an amazing character study. I could write a whole 6 page essay about this movie, but for the sake of not going on too long about this review, I truly consider this movie as a masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/08/24

Full Review

Mike P

(Spoilers) Effective fantasy thriller/mystery from Adrian Lyne: that's unfortunately vanished into the mists of obscurity over the years...As no one really remembers this one anymore. Which is unfair; because it's a very good movie... It examines the mental deterioration of a Vietnam Veteran; one Jacob Singer; years after he returns home...Or so it seems..It turns out he never actually escaped in Viet Nam...He died in Viet Nam. (As we see in a shocking flashback at the end of the movie...)And just like with The Twilight Zone's Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge; it becomes apparent that the young victim of war imagines an elaborate escape and afterlife which never even happened!!.. And yes ...The ending falls under that annoying subheading; "It was all a dream"; which is usually a HORRIBLE way to end a movie...Except in THIS case it works.. Because whereas usually "It's all only a dream" is a cutesy cop-out so that the protagonist doesn't have to deal with all the implications of the tragedy that just came before it...In THIS case; the "it's only a dream" just ADDS to the horror and the heartache. Not only did Jacob's middle aged life with his family in New York end badly...It never even happened in the first place. OUCH!! How painful is that?!! It was all just a deathbed hallucination... It's like the final insult and fatal wounding in a torture chamber...(This movie and Inception are the only movies where that ending works...) Or...That's ONE explanation...That it's all a dream...Another explanation is we see the mental breakdown of this Tim Robbins/Jacob character years after his horrible Viet Nam experience...Who SPIRITUALLY died in Viet Nam; he lost his head and soul back there...The death we're seeing at that MASH is a metaphorical death; not a real one; but it shows how his spirit was broken during the war...which led to his deterioration later on...So Lyne leaves room for interpretation. The movie also moves back and forth between competing present day narratives; until the whole thing just explodes in the ending. Overall this is a very moody and effective tale. Thumbs up 👍 P.S. "Jacob's Ladder" has become a catch phrase in our culture; and has been used to describe natural wonders of the world; movies; and even exercise equipment. ORIGINALLY it was a Biblical term; which describes the character Jacob from the Bible, (aka Israel); having a dream or an epiphany about a divine portal to Heaven... So that's the fountainhead for all these other terms and concepts!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Cera F

One of the first great twist horror movies in my opinion. Loved how it played out

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/29/24

Full Review

Kris I

always fascinating to see movies that deal with our fear of death and what lies beyond. but this is quite the nightmare that I would not want to watch again.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/24

Full Review

Audience Member

A story of PTSD with a predictable ending. To be honest after a while you know what is going to happen so you start to lose interest. Tim Robbins if phenomenal though.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

C

I could not watch this after the first scene. Emotionally disturbing. Reminded me of Clock Work Orange type of movie. Was it drugs, hallucinations, or dreams? Robbins other movies are better. This was a tough watch. Maybe other people like this type of movie. Fine by me. Not my cup of tea. Cheers.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/07/23

Full Review

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Adrian Lyne

Director

Tim Robbins

Jacob Singer

Elizabeth Peña

Jezebel

Danny Aiello

Louis

Matt Craven

Michael

Pruitt Taylor Vince

Paul

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

It's weird and surreal, but it ends with most of the holes plugged and all but a few of the loose ends tied into a tidy package. Some argue this is a cheat and the film should have been more open ended. That's a personal choice; I like it the way it is.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 23, 2014

Full Review

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

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

Stuff.co.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

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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
Executive Producer: Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna
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
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR

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