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From Amazon.co.uk
In Jacob's Ladder, Vietnam veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) thinks he is going insane. Or worse. When his nightmares begin spilling into his waking hours, Jacob believes he is experiencing the after-effects of a powerful drug tested on him during Vietnam. Or perhaps his post-traumatic stress disorder is worse than most. Whatever is happening to him, it's not good. Director Adrian Lyne sparks our interest and maintains high production values, but this confusing film chokes on its "surprise" ending. It owes much to Ambrose Bierce's haunting and more straightforward short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin, who also explored the "other side" in Ghost and My Life, Jacob's Ladder ultimately feels like an exercise in self-indulgence. A spirited performance by Elizabeth Peña outshines Robbins, who is surprisingly lethargic. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Product Description
Divorced Vietnam veteran turned postman Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is disturbed when he begins to be plagued by bizarre and violent hallucinations, both of the family he has abandoned and a bloody battle he could not previously remember. So strong are the images that the line between past and present, real and unreal, begins to dissolve. Desperate for help, Jacob turns to his ex-wife, Sarah, and chiropractor Louis (Danny Aiello).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By Paulo Andre
Format:DVD
Reviewing this movie is a difficult task for it's very easy to spoil the movie for the reader, due to its nature. Therefore, I will try to focus my comments on the technical side rather than on the story.
Tim Robbins delivers a unique performance as Jacob (perhaps only comparable in his career to The Shawshank Redemption where he, however, needs to share the credit with Morgan Freeman), a Vietnam warrior who gets seriously wounded in combat and finds himself in a desperate struggle for life. And between life and death, heaven or hell, where does Jacob belong? That's something Jacob will have to find out for himself and that'll be the fight of his life.
Robbins is absolutely irreprehensible from start to end, and the rest of the cast includes other somewhat well known names like Eriq La Salle, Elisabeth Peña, Macaulay Culkin on one of his first roles (yeah, the Home Alone kid!) and even Jason Alexander from Seinfeld. The film is filled with symbolic meaning and that's one of its strenghts. Director Adrian Lyne did a really great job on that front as he was able to capture all that meaning, treating it well and presenting it to the reader in the most fascinating and yet subtle way. Not only that, this includes perhaps the very finest psychological horror I've ever seen (or should I say felt?) in my life.
This is perhaps one of the most underrated movies out there, but you know what? I think that adds something almost mystical to it. Get it on your DVD/Video player and see for yourself.
5 stars. No less.
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By RM
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
..make sure that you get the full uncut 18 version, not the DVD 15 version that I was duped into getting because of false advertising. If you are unable to get the full version on DVD, just buy it on VHS. Believe me, it's worth it because there are multiple scenes which are cut from the DVD version.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Alan Burridge
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Fifteen years on from seeing this film on video, memories of it still kept coming back, so much so, I had to get a copy and watch it again. Much like The Usual Suspects, it is fairly deep and requires concentration and the viewing time free from interruption. But that's not to say it isn't one of the best films you will ever see, because it is, and once watched, you will never need reminding of it again as it stays with you forever - perhaps even haunting you in the strangest, but at the same time, profound way. And you may need to watch it again, and perhaps again, as there are many elements within it, which through no fault of the film, or indeed yourself, will escape you from just one viewing. An all-time favourite, difficult to put into words, simply get a copy, watch it; your life will never be the same again.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Philosophical and supernatural take on war, life, family and death
The title of this movie, Jacob's Ladder, references the bible story of the same name. In the bible story, Jacob is on the run having angered his brother Esau for stealing his... Read more
Published 26 days ago by Phillygirl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Snakes and Ladders
The Vietnam War, hallucinogenic drugs, a Pentagon cover-up, we've heard of all this before. But this movie had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Read more
Published 2 months ago by lycidas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still spooky after all these years
This very moving film improves with repeated viewing. The way it sustains a series of bewildering, disjointed, nightmare sequences without being tiresome is a mark of genius. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cath
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Favorite film.
This has to be the granddaddy of many a psychological horror. From Event Horizon, right to the demented gates of the now sadly forgotten survival horror genre - e.g. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Gerard Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jacob's Ladder
A Vietnam vet's private hell of intrigue and paranoia composed of a multitude of interweaved realities. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Diprotodonald
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb
Whoever doesn't like this film clearly doesn't get it. As 1 idiot wrote 'bad points, ignorant fanboys who put this in there top 10 films'! How is this a bad point to a film? Moron. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ledgepak
4.0 out of 5 stars
great film!
really enjoyed this film. not the best film every made but a very good psychological (action) thriller with some jumpy bits. holly-ann
Published 16 months ago by salsa-star
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spectacular
This is one of the truly great films! The extras - a 30 minute film of the making of Jacob's ladder was superb, it's only a pity that rather than showing the deleted scenes as an... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Earl
1.0 out of 5 stars
Ten Stars for Jacob's Ladder - one for the Blu-Ray transfer ...
I'm a big fan of Jacob's Ladder and have been ever since I saw the film during its initial release in cinemas. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Craig Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring
This film is brilliant - I love the concept of some kind of wierd world that exists between life and death.
Published on 3 May 2011 by Tony
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