Jacob's Ladder (1990) Review

 

       We have now reached the 1990s, the decade where the horror genre has changed. With hits such as Scream and The Blair Witch Project the 90s were full of gamechangers. For today, I will be reviewing the psychological horror movie that should at least get some love, Jacob’s Ladder. Directed by Adrian Lyne, I picked this movie because I wanted to look at the psychological horror angle and this one happened to pop up on my radar and fit with the 90s movies that I wanted to see. SPOILERS will appear in the review. 

1. Story

        It takes place during and after the Vietnam Conflict. Jake Singer played by Tim Robbins is part of a platoon in Vietnam. The group is ambushed, and Jake manages to escape. As he hides in the jungle, he is stabbed by a bayonet. He awakes back in the United States in a subway in New York City. 

        From what we can gather, Jake has been seeing hallucinations and attempts to perceive what is real and not. He visits his chiropractor who helps him with his back problems. The real horror aspect appears when he and his wife Jezz played by Elizabeth Pena go to a dance party. Jake hangs around and a palm reader asks if he wants his to be read. 

        The palm reader says that Jake is dead. He laughs it off and from there, he sees one of his hallucinations. His wife is dancing with someone and he morphs into a reptilian creature. Jake awakens in another life with his first wife. The whole story switches back and forth from Jake in Vietnam, to his first wife and, his second wife. All the while attempting to figure out what’s wrong with him and questioning if he’s dead. 

2. Idea of Death

        Throughout the film, Jake has been struggling if he’s dying or if he really is dead. He talks with his chiropractor explains a concept that is really thought provoking. He cites the theologian Meister Eckhart. From what Jake’s helper explains it is that someone who burns in hell is someone who can’t move on. On the flip side, when someone is content with themselves the demons become angels which free the person from Earth. 

        The whole notion that Jake is stuck in limbo and attempting to stay alive is the most interesting aspect in a horror movie. The whole world in the film that is the main setting can be interpreted as either limbo or Hell or a combination of both. Since him and his surviving group see the demons that stalk them throughout New York City. My favorite moment is when Jake is taken to a hospital, they move him to another wing which is dilapidated and surrounded by mentally unhealthy patients. 

        In between all of that, he switches between his previous lives before and after the conflict. It’s like he’s trying to relive the lives but can’t appear to move on since he had a son played by Macauley Culkin. His son Gabe died being ran over by a car. It can be interpreted that his deceased son and the chiropractor are spirit guides. Since the chiropractor gave Jake the speech he gives Jake a chance to move on.

3. MK Ultra

        The only part where the film tries to justify the weirdness of everything and attempt to rationalize what’s been happening with Jake and his group, a chemist named Michael explains to Jake what’s happening to him. Before I explain, let me talk about MK Ultra. During the Cold War, the CIA experimented on various civilians on the use of LSD and mind control. Now, that bit is the basis on what’s happening to Jake. 

        Michael explains to Jake that he was contacted by the Army to create that increases the aggressiveness on soldiers to perform better in the battlefield. He dubbed the drug the Ladder and it worked. Although, the patients killed each other. Jake’s group was prescribed the drug which triggered the attack on his platoon. Ultimately, a fellow soldier killed Jake.

        I feel that this was the weakest part of the film. I would’ve liked it if it was just on Jake and his group attempting to either survive in the Hell/Limbo combo or attempting to move on. It feels tacked on since there had to be a bit of irony with what’s going on with Jake. 

4. Legacy

        As I was researching the film, I was not aware that it was the inspiration of the video game series Silent Hill. I haven’t played the series since I’m not brave but being aware of it and seeing the gameplay, I can see where the inspiration is coming from. I feel that, the psychological horror sub-genre is untapped in way of storytelling. One example being used in television in the show from FX Legion but it’s predominantly a comic book show with psychological stuff sprinkled in. 

Unfortunately, Jacob’s Ladder was remade in 2019. I won’t bother watching it and by judging from the trailer and what other critics though of it. Yeah, it can belong in the infamous group of bad remakes. 

5. Overall

        After watching so much horror throughout the 60s to the 90s so far, Jacob’s Ladder is more subdued in comparison to its horror brethren. There are moments where it’s startling and the imagery and what Jacob goes through is terrifying and creepy, this is probably the safest horror film that I’ve seen so far. It’s developed a cult following and just by writing my own personal review on it, I may expose it to some people to at least give it the attention it deserves. 

        Jacob’s Ladder gets a four out of five.