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Jacob’s Ladder is truly a mindfuck of a movie. I remember watching the thing when I was a little kid… suffice it to say, I had no idea what the thing was about. I decided to give it another chance… 17 years later… and I have to say, there is a pretty damn good reason that I had no idea what was going on in the movie. That’s not to say that the movie isn’t good… it’s just hard to grasp.

The plot of Jacob’s Ladder is deceptively simple. A Vietnam veteran begins to experience strange visions such as the appearance of faceless demons and his dead son. He must find out what is going on. The movie is actually much more complex, maybe too complex. The reality of this movie is fleeting at moments, building up a nice stage and then pulling the carpet out from under your feet at the drop of a dime. It is definitely one of the things that I found pleasurable about the movie. The fact that the narrative is set up in such a thought provoking way prevents what could have been a heavy-handed preachy script from de-evolving into utter incomprehensiveness.

Director Adrian Lyne juggles the realities of the different aspects of the movie in such a manner that it is hard to distinguish what is really happening at any given moment. His direction is really nothing special, except for the fact that he manages to balance such a precarious plot. He never goes overboard with the message of the movie and doesn’t hammer it home at every corner. The look of the filmy is grimy and cold, but it never becomes a character in the film, rather the environments seem to be merely a backdrop that never enters into the narrative of the story. The images are rather Spartan and depressing… but I get the feeling the director could have done more with the subject matter.

The acting in the film is outstanding. Tim Robbins gives one of his best performances in this movie (even though Shawshank Redemption is still his best performance). Robbins plays the traumatized Vietnam veteran that is the protagonist of the movie. His performance is unsettling and he brings a certain volatility to a character that could have been potentially weak, potentially whiny. Ving Rhames is also interesting in a bit part, and there are even a few non-noticeable cameos from people like Lewis Black (the comedian) and Kyle Gass (Tenacious D). Everyone else in the film is quality but hardly worth mentioning… except for that Macauley Culkin bastard. I never thought I would have to see that precocious little bastard’s face again… but there it was 30 minutes into the movie. If it had been earlier I might have turned the movie off, but I’m glad I didn’t.

This movie is truly an example of how to create meaning in a film without beating your viewers over the head. I particularly love the ending… even though it is kind of a big “fuck you” to the audience. The story is opaque and the film has some real surprises in store for viewers. It is a quality film that perhaps does more for the plight of Vietnam veterans than other movies, which are outright caustic like Born on the Fourth of July or Casualties of War.

Final Synopsis: This is a good film with a message. The plot and theme are managed professionally and the acting is terrific from most parties. The plot and ideas may be hard for some people to grasp, so I recommend that you rent it first.

Points Lost: -1 for the creative fade the second half of the movie experiences, -1 for being a little too confusing in some parts, -1 for Macauley Culkin’s ugly little kid face

Burning Question: Does Tim Robbins look like a less creepy Stephen King to anyone else?

Jacob’s Ladder
7/10

Tags: 1990, adrian lyne, anti-government, anti-war, danny aiello, drama, eriq la salle, jason alexander, kyle gass, latest movie reviews, lewis black, macaulay culkin, psychological horror, psychological thriller, recent, tim robbins, trippy, ving rhames