A
nightmarish final struggle
Review
by Jack Kost
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?
