Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
A
nightmarish final struggle
Jacob’s Ladder (1990), directed by
Adrian Lyne, released in the United States on November 2, 1990, and based on the screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin, is a rarity of the
genre: an intelligent horror story.
Jacob Singer (Tim
Robbins) is a traumatized Vietnam veteran.He works for the Post Office, and shares
a cramped apartment with his girlfriend and co-worker, Jezebel (Elizabeth Peña),
in a dilapidated block in Brooklyn, New York, during the 1970s.
Suffering from PTSD,
Jacob is haunted by flashbacks from his time in the war, his pain compounded by
the grief of losing his son in an accident.His waking hours are invaded by
bizarre and terrifying hallucinations of a locked underground subway station,
and demons that stalk him wherever he goes.
He has disorientating periods when
he awakes to find himself in an alternate reality where he is still married to
his wife, Sarah (Patricia Kalember).
In these sections, his son Gabe (Macaulay
Culkin) is still alive.
Jacob attempts to discover
the truth about his condition and uncovers a conspiracy involving a failed drug
experiment.
The title: Jacob’s
Ladder, is a Biblical reference, from Genesis 28:10-21, in which a
spiritual staircase, flanked by angels, provides a bridge between Heaven and
Earth.
In the latter part of the movie, the chemist, Michael Newman (Matt Craven), describes the enhanced drug as: The Ladder.
Afflicted with back pain,
Jacob visits his Chiropractor, Louis (Danny Aiello).
Louis is also his friend
and confidante.
When Jacob confides his hallucinations, Louis offers solace and
reassurance by quoting the 14th-century German theologian and philosopher,
Meister Eckhart:
LOUIS:Eckhart saw Hell, too. You
know what he said? He said: ‘The only thing that burns in Hell, is the part of
you that won't let go of your life, your memories, your attachments. They burn
them all away. But they're not punishing you,’ he said. ‘They're freeing your
soul’ … So, the way he sees it: ‘if you're frightened of dying and – and you're
holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But, if you've made your
peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.’ It’s
just a matter of how you look at it, that’s all.
Bruce Joel Rubin’s
screenplay, available in paperback, is an essential read for anyone who
appreciates the movie.
It provides a wealth of insight and background
information on the development of the story, including the inspiration and
meaning behind some of the movie’s most stunning and disturbing images, particularly
the visions of the “vibrating” men Jacob glimpses.
The book includes deleted
scenes, with reasons why they didn’t make the final cut of the movie.
The acting is
understated and flawless.
The strong supporting cast
includes excellent character actors: Jason Alexander, John Capodice, Matt
Craven, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Eriq La Salle, Ving Rhames, Brian Tarantina, Anthony
Alessandro, Brent Hinkley, S. Epatha Merkerson, and John Patrick McLaughlin.
Adrian Lyne, like Ridley Scott, knows how to use light to powerful and atmospheric effect.
Maurice Jarre’s
soundtrack sets a melancholic and haunting tone.
So many movies rely too
heavily on the jump-shock moment to compensate for lack of plot, or character
development.
Jacob’s Ladder doesn’t make that mistake.
The script and
plot structure have been carefully thought out.
Jacob Singer is the main
character, but in no way heroic.
We feel Jacob’s pain, bewilderment, and
terror.
He fights when he has to, particularly in the scene where he is abducted
from the street and forcibly strong-armed into the back of a car.
Jacob’s
demeanor is, for the most part, quiet, friendly and affable, making his mounting
fear and vulnerability more believable.
The quieter sections of
the story are emotionally involving enough to make the moments of jarring
horror nightmarish and chilling, with a final reveal that is both subtle and
moving.
Jacob’s Ladder succeeds on many
levels: as part war story, tragedy, drama, horror, mystery, hallucinatory
nightmare, and theological thriller, giving the viewer much to think about and
discuss.
It’s a disquieting and unforgettable experience that improves with
repeat viewings, compelling the viewer to examine reality, existence, and the
question of what comes after.
Life is fleeting.
Death is a certainty.
One day, we all have to
climb that spiritual ladder.
Ascend … or descend?
Heaven … or Hell?
Which direction and
destination will be yours?
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