Jacob's Ladder: Nightmares are Guaranteed!

One of the most strange and compelling films I’ve ever seen. It can’t be put any more simply than that. This was recommended to me by a friend of mine, and I’m thankful for that recommendation. Never before in my life have I been filled with such a sense of dread and despair, and I could not take my eyes off the screen. Questions about my mental state aside; Jacob’s ladder is a masterpiece of horror by every stretch of the imagination.  Long story short, after leaving the army Jacob begins encountering horrific hallucinations and is starting to question his own sanity. As the movie progressed the imagery became more and more bizarre and escalated to a point where I nearly contemplated fast-forwarding to a more peaceful moment in the film. But it kept pummelling me with every turn and I eventually accepted that that was the point of the entire experience. The amount of horrific imagery conjured up in this movie is almost beyond belief, with the main character Jacob Singer (played expertly by Tim Robbins) encountering stuff that could give nightmares; well nightmares. Not to spoil anything, but in one particular scene I was so fearful for Jacob’s wellbeing and his state of mind that I was almost mimicking his pleas for help. 

 

I understand that violence is not for everyone, if it is done to an extreme level such as the likes of Eli Roth. The violence in this film was done in such a way that you almost felt it was an appropriate way of pushing the story forward. The opening sequence is so over the top that the rest of the imagery that follows in the second act almost feels tame in comparison. The acting is top notch all around, with Jacob’s girlfriend (played by Elizabeth Pena) almost representing the audience as we see the story from her point of view, and we can also identify with her struggle to understand the psychosis behind Jacob and his visions. Overall, Jacob’s Ladder was a very complicated, horrifying film that conjures up social and political questions about the state of war and the horrifying consequences that it can have on people’s minds and their relationships. With incredible acting, action sequences and incredible turning points it is without a doubt one of the best horror films out there, and it DEFINITELY deserves more recognition then some of the tripe that is produced nowadays. *Cough* Paranormal Activity *Cough*. 

Live long and blog!