Jacob's Ladder (1990)
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The story
In 1971, American infantryman Jacob Singer experiences a traumatic event in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War, where his comrades exhibit erratic behavior. Years later, living in Brooklyn as a postal worker, Jacob is plagued by terrifying hallucinations and visions of his deceased son. As he attempts to seek medical help, he discovers that his records do not exist and his doctor is dead. When he reconnects with a former comrade who shares similar experiences, the pair begins to suspect they were victims of a clandestine military experiment, leading Jacob into a surreal and nightmarish journey to uncover the truth behind his fractured reality.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a traumatic 1971 experience in Vietnam where his unit suffered from catatonia and convulsions, Jacob Singer lives in 1975 Brooklyn, haunted by visions of his deceased son and a mysterious, looming presence. He discovers his doctor is dead and his medical records are missing. He reunites with a former comrade, Paul, who is also experiencing hallucinations; Paul is soon killed in a car explosion. The survivors of their unit believe they were subjected to a secret military drug called 'the Ladder' to increase aggression. After being abducted and nearly killed by men in suits, Jacob is rescued by a friend and meets Michael Newman, a former chemist who admits to creating the drug. This revelation triggers a final vision of the war. Jacob eventually finds his way back to his family's home, where his son leads him into a bright light, and the film concludes with a 1971 medical log declaring him dead.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Adrian Lyne
- Writers
- Bruce Joel Rubin · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tim Robbins · Jacob "Professor" Singer; Elizabeth Peña · Jezebel "Jezzie" Pipkin; Danny Aiello · Louis "Louie" Denardo; Matt Craven · Michael Newman; Pruitt Taylor Vince · Paul Gruneger; Jason Alexander · Mr. Geary; Patricia Kalember · Sarah Singer; S. Epatha Merkerson · Elsa
- Genres
- psychological horror; horror; supernatural horror
- Themes
- war; death; hallucination; memory
- Tone and mood
- disturbing; nightmarish; surreal
- Setting
- 1971 Vietnam and 1975 New York City (Brooklyn)
- Premise and plot tags
- psychological horror; war drama; supernatural; non-linear narrative
- Content notes
- horror
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews and gained a cult following, influencing various works including the Silent Hill video game series.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 72% · scale: percentage · review count: 68; Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 20
- Awards and nominations
- best horror film of the year · Horror Hall of Fame II · nomination
- Production trivia
- The title refers to the Biblical story of Jacob's Ladder.; The film's alternative title was Dante's Inferno.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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