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Jacob's Ladder
1990
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 53m
A traumatized Vietnam war veteran finds out that his post-war life isn't what he believes it to be when he's attacked by horned creatures in the subway and his dead son comes to visit him. (imdb)
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Jacob's Ladder
1990
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 53m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 63.23% from 4183 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews
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Rated 21 Jan 2009
76
68th
Mind bending flick with some brutally effective and disturbing scenes (with a little cheating), somewhat spoiled by its unambiguous finish. When these types of movies fuck with you sometimes you feel satisfied, other times used. Lyne leaves $10 with a discarded condom on top, but also a beautifully written note. Call me conflicted.
Rated 21 Jan 2009
Rated 29 May 2008
95
99th
this movie is made, written, and acted amazingly -- not to mention that it is extrememly thought provoking.
Rated 29 May 2008
Rated 12 Jan 2010
84
80th
"It is easy to go down to hell; Night and Day the Gates of Dark Death stand wide; But to climb back up again, to retrace ones steps to the open air, there lies the problem, the difficult task." -Virgil, The Aeneid, Book VI. Yet, "The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." -John Milton. The film's pluses and minuses lie in the contradiction.
Rated 12 Jan 2010
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
96th
Stream-of-consciousness thriller done right. Not only is this movie well-acted (and carried by the more than capable Tim Robbins), but it also accomplishes being artsy without losing the punch of the plot.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 27 Oct 2016
25
12th
Okay, here are some of the moral assumptions of the movie: 1)It's better to kill Vietkongs rather than your fellow citizens. 2)Being unable to disclose the truth in your past is like a nightmare which looks like having a hispanic looking woman and a job at the post office. But if you can get over the fact that you killed valuable Americans instead of those gooks, you may continue your upper class life with your white family as a scholar. Now that ruins every visual and narrative success, sorry.
Rated 27 Oct 2016
Rated 20 Jul 2008
100
98th
A solid Thriller that's stalking, nightmarish, grueling and splendidly hair-raising. It goes above and beyond above the dimensions and realms of modern filmmaking, raising the meaning psychological to a whole new level. Tim Robbins is the higlight and this is one of his greatest roles no doubt. Everything seen and heard, looks and sounds so real.
Rated 20 Jul 2008
Rated 10 Aug 2009
98
98th
Jacob's Ladder is Robin's best performance in his hole career. It is a very dark mystery thriller that creates his "horror" with gruesome and nightmarish moments. This movie is also one of the best anti-war movies in times.
Rated 10 Aug 2009
Rated 01 Dec 2010
85
80th
What this film accomplishes in sheer atmosphere is absolutely outstanding. Adrian Lyne creates an abundance of scenes of incredible discomfort.The sound design and the dark images go hand in hand in creating a nightmarish psychological thriller. From the woman in the subway in the beginning and forward, you never know quite what will happen, only that it will be unpleasant one way or the other.
Rated 01 Dec 2010
Rated 14 Oct 2022
78
79th
This was engaging and depressing and creepy and affecting and disturbing. I felt pretty exhausted by the end, truth be told. Very well made, and Robbins really delivered. I'll need to see it again, although I'm not inclined to rush to do so.
Rated 14 Oct 2022
Rated 05 Dec 2008
75
61st
Pretty effectively creepy for the most part. The ending was a bit disappointing though, I don't think they needed to spell it out so much for me.
Rated 05 Dec 2008
Rated 10 Oct 2018
55
12th
The last bit of the movie is almost too stale for it to be successful which sucks, because I bought into these hellish scenes and demonic characters expecting a more delirious twist to tie this all together.
Rated 10 Oct 2018
Rated 27 Jun 2016
4
55th
take away the whole puzzle/twist plot and audience handholding and the lamer horror elements, double down on that undercurrent of trauma and pathos and just gimme a full on descent into subjective existential crisis, and you'd probably have one of my favourite movies. there's a lot to love about this and robbins is great, but it just feels like such a watered down, user-friendly version of its best self that i can't help being disappointed.
Rated 27 Jun 2016
Rated 20 Jun 2009
75
55th
Several scenes were memorable (like the scene in Hell), but overall it wasn't nearly as powerful as some other psychological thrillers, and frankly, the plot was weak. There's also nothing worse than an expository ending, IMHO.
Rated 20 Jun 2009
Rated 10 Oct 2018
60
27th
Loses its momentum as a chaotic paranoiac thriller all too quickly; which is a shame because there are so many brilliantly chilling moments in the first quarter of the film. Tries to shoe-horn in a conclusion about accepting your fate with hallmark sentimentality. Doesn't stick its landing.
Rated 10 Oct 2018
Rated 31 Jul 2011
91
94th
Macaulay Culkin's the true demon here.
Rated 31 Jul 2011
Rated 27 Dec 2006
45
33rd
Throughout the movie I was constantly praying they wouldn't go for the woefully predictable ending which they in fact did. It's a shame that Jacob's Ladder turns out to be a cheesy, sloganistic statement about acceptance and inner peace, because it has some nifty thrills in it. The scares should have been put to use within a better script. This one is an attempted allegory foiled by its own elaborateness.
Rated 27 Dec 2006
Rated 27 Jan 2007
81
79th
Although the film is explained in the end, I think the fun part is deciding in hindsight which scenes were "real" and which were "imagined". Watching it the first time won't be as fun as watching it a second or third time.
Rated 27 Jan 2007
Rated 07 Aug 2007
95
96th
An amazingly creepy masterpiece.
Rated 07 Aug 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
82nd
I have never seen a movie like this. It's terrifying, it's exciting and it's splendidly done.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 15 Aug 2007
75
65th
Wasn't at all what I expected, but it's a very good movie nonetheless. Tim Robbins shines in this.
Rated 15 Aug 2007
Rated 16 Sep 2007
85
94th
Brilliant psych/horror with a very solid performance by Robbins.
Rated 16 Sep 2007
Rated 15 Jun 2012
60
43rd
I think I wanted to like this more than I actually did. What I did like a lot were the many creepy images in this film. They were quite creative and effective. It had a very tense and unnerving atmosphere a lot of the time. I thought Tim Robbins was really good too. But, I don't know, it didn't really go anywhere. And by the time the (sort of disappointing) ending came along, I didn't much care anymore.
Rated 15 Jun 2012
Rated 07 Jan 2014
85
86th
The sudden narration at the end guides the retarded audience members out of their own stupid purgatory of trying to make sense of these moving pictures.
Rated 07 Jan 2014
Rated 26 Nov 2018
4
70th
Its nightmarish vision of 70s New York as a manifestation of PTSD-driven hell on earth is compromised by its perfunctory plot, which trades in the sort of exposition and twists of a lesser thriller. Still, the highs are fantastically high.
Rated 26 Nov 2018
Rated 16 Oct 2008
90
90th
Wow! Absolutely terrifying. More films like this should be made. Absurd monsters or excessive gore will never fright me as much as the subtle horrors in this gem.
Rated 16 Oct 2008
Rated 09 Nov 2008
86
81st
Tim Robbins' magnum opus as far as acting is concerned. An interesting psychological exploration of his character with a thought-provoking ending that doesn't make you feel unfulfilled and patronized like those of a certain Mr. Shyamalan. It also succeeds as a scathing criticism of the US government's treatment of veterans both during and following the Vietnam conflict.
Rated 09 Nov 2008
Rated 18 Jan 2009
80
78th
A traumatized Vietnam veteran delves into a freakish nightmare that he doesn't seem to get a grip on. The athmosphere is haunting and mysterious. Not as much horror as I expected, but more fascinating drama. I loved the ending also, even though the concept is quite overused nowadays.
Rated 18 Jan 2009
Rated 24 Oct 2021
46
47th
not as good as people say it is. at all.
Rated 24 Oct 2021
Rated 04 May 2009
63
21st
Smoke-machine-crazed auteur Lyne's hallucinatory thriller is sort of a bad-acid, 'Nam-based _Carnival of Souls_ update. The script contains vividly realized moments but ultimately crosses the line separating complexity from contrivance. This is relentlessly grim, frequently irritating but rarely dull; some of Lyne's nightmare imagery is as creepy as anything you'll find in a David Lynch, Clive Barker, or Alejandro Jodorowsky movie, and the disco-party scene is almost too intense to take.
Rated 04 May 2009
Rated 22 May 2009
86
88th
A very creepy film, and very well done. If you've not heard of it, I won't give away the ending, but if you don't catch it before hand, when it comes, it's one of those films that makes you sit back and think through the entire film. I suppose it's a movie that is best watched several times, and gets better on repeat viewings because you watch it for different reasons each time.
Rated 22 May 2009
Rated 14 Jun 2021
55
31st
Farklı şeyler yapılmaya çalışılmış. Savaş psikolojisini de çok iyi yansıttığını düşünüyorum. Ama uyumamak için zor tuttum kendimi :/
Rated 14 Jun 2021
Rated 06 Aug 2009
84
85th
It's a movie that could have been a real masterpiece, but it felt like a bunch of producers fucked with it to make it less indie. The film was subsequently reworked--the end result was that Lyne held the viewer's hand walking through a haunted house gently reassuring us that it's not real while duly explaining how all the mechanical monsters worked.
Rated 06 Aug 2009
Rated 14 Mar 2016
87
90th
A really well made, unsettling movie with fantastic shots, acting and strange story. I must say I got really confused, but it gets explained in the end. Really need to rewatch this.
Rated 14 Mar 2016
Rated 12 Oct 2009
75
77th
It was an amazingly scary and disturbing movie, the first time I watched it, but when watching it again, I noticed all the flaws in both logic and plot (along with the misplaced "moral focus" on the use of chemical weapons in 'Nam) and that sadly destroys the illusion for 2nd views.
Rated 12 Oct 2009
Rated 08 Nov 2009
93
54th
The ending just ruined it, and it didn't have TOO much going for it to begin with.
Rated 08 Nov 2009
Rated 21 Dec 2009
45
47th
A nice movie experience is yet ruined but another meaningless ending.
Rated 21 Dec 2009
Rated 17 Sep 2018
73
35th
A unique depiction of trauma that blends drama with a touch of psychological thriller and flashes of supernatural horror and surrealism (but the moments of stylization are rare, and they mostly exacerbate a feeling of inconsistency both in the representation of mental illness and the tone of the film). For the most part, the movie plays with reality in a way that truly emulates the terror and relief of living through a nightmare, and a handful of haunting images help it stick in the mind.
Rated 17 Sep 2018
Rated 27 Jan 2010
85
66th
Haunting Vietnam fantasy with a surprising ending. Look for an early appearance of Louis Black!
Rated 27 Jan 2010
Rated 29 Aug 2022
89
90th
Perhaps a film of horror, rather than a horror film, and one that's fantastically and thoughtfully assembled, all to great emotional effect. It unveils itself with the right amount of pacing, having all the confusion and suitably subdued terror falling into place as it proceeds. My original criticism was that it seemed odd that a postal clerk Tim Robbins with a bad wig is dating prime Elizabeth Pena -- but then the film reminded me it's of the supernatural genre.
Rated 29 Aug 2022
Rated 18 Feb 2010
9
93rd
Ending makes me dock a few points but other than that I was entertained and creeped out throughout the film. Tim Robbins gives possibly his best performance and the scenes with him and Macaulay Culkin were genuinely sweet and touching. The scene where they all get together after the funeral is very eerie and messed up. Maurice Jarre's soundtracks are always a treat and it's no different here. Also, I love seeing Danny Aiello in anything, he's the bomb.
Rated 18 Feb 2010
Rated 19 Feb 2010
6
62nd
Lyne's masterpiece about life & death, surviving or dying, heaven and hell, reality and confused disreality. It's one hell of a ride. The dirty, hellish, nightmarish visions of New York are a real stand out and set the mood perfectly, it's almost reminiscent of Taxi Driver in this respect, but with lots of the odd mind-fuck that exists in the supernatural tendencies of David Lynch. The ending, whilst a lot don't like it is well done, and the most hopeful note of the film.
Rated 19 Feb 2010
Rated 08 Sep 2017
95
83rd
Appreciated it on the first viewing, loved on the second one. This is an example of an unexpected ending that reinforces the film instead of ruining it, because the film and the ending form an organic whole. It constantly balances light and darkness, so it never really oppresses the viewer despite of its theme. Graceful, exceptional film. Although quite different, makes me think of my other favorite: Angel Heart.
Rated 08 Sep 2017
Rated 25 Sep 2010
71
84th
Not even sure what level this movie works on, Thriller, Drama, maybe it doesn't work on either. Something about the film works though, unsettling, creepy and engaging.
Rated 25 Sep 2010
Rated 10 Oct 2010
65
71st
Frequently unsettling rather than frightening, this movie is a precursor to many others, from LOST HIGHWAY to ENTER THE VOID. Numerous effective scenes and imagery, but the way in which it plays out its ontological preoccupations lacks the mysterious, or poetic, or terrifying power that Lynch will bring to his own variations on these themes. The disquisition on mortality, too, is rather clumsy and unconvincing. For all that, I was surprised Lyne could make a movie this good.
Rated 10 Oct 2010
Rated 04 Oct 2015
80
73rd
Jacob's Ladder is pretty great, no doubt. Sometimes the direction is a little weird and with some cringe-worthy dialogue, the movie can take you out of itself for a little. But overall, its very tense and grabs you at the right points for the right reasons, with creepy visuals and a chilling story.
Rated 04 Oct 2015
Rated 25 Oct 2010
75
34th
Knowing the end ruined what otherwise would have been a fun trip for me.
Rated 25 Oct 2010
Rated 20 Jan 2011
91
88th
"Jacob's Ladder" knows how to build up a feeling of terror with every passing scene. Sure it has jump scares in it (actually effective ones I might add) but the real reason this film is so great is because you never quite feel safe. Many horror films give you moments to catch your breath and feel safe until the climax. Jacob's Ladder has moments where you can breathe, but the tension is kept high due to the fact that you are never sure what is actually real. Tim Robbins is incredible.
Rated 20 Jan 2011
Rated 20 Jul 2017
77
54th
Jacob's Ladder is a visually haunting experience that manages to overcome its notable cliches, with a fully committed performance from Tim Robbins to boot.
Rated 20 Jul 2017
Rated 23 Aug 2015
80
81st
Terrified me but it was actually pretty good
Rated 23 Aug 2015
Rated 08 Dec 2012
70
69th
My expectations were a little too high to be satisfied with that ending. Still pretty good.
Rated 08 Dec 2012
Rated 22 Dec 2011
87
92nd
This is a really good film. It is one of those films that make you want to watch it again after you see the ending. Tim Robbins is outstanding in this film.
Rated 22 Dec 2011
Rated 02 Oct 2011
100
98th
If you are scared to watch thriller movies, stay away.. but you risk missing a great film and one of the best performances of Tim Robbins!
Rated 02 Oct 2011
Rated 30 Dec 2006
70
76th
More of a good inspiration than a good movie.
Rated 30 Dec 2006
Rated 03 Jan 2007
84
75th
Alucinações do Passado estreava há 30 anos em Hollywood. Nos anos 90 esse filme passava pra caralho na TV aberta e eu o assistia sempre porque mesmo lá trás sabia que o Lyne nunca faria um filme melhor do que esse, qual minha surpresa ao revê-lo de confirmar isso e continuar o adorando. BlurayRip RARBG.
Rated 03 Jan 2007
Rated 02 Feb 2021
4
93rd
oppressing and confusing. brilliant atmosphere. inspired silent hill.
Rated 02 Feb 2021
Rated 11 Apr 2014
90
39th
A very creepy and suspenseful psychological horror film, Jacob's Ladder is a horror film that starts off slow but builds the tension and creepiness consistently. Some of the scenes are really creepy and at time disturbing but this makes for a better film. Tim Robbins puts in a great performance as Jacob singer and I enjoy how they used PTSD as a component in this horror film. Really worth checking out.
Rated 11 Apr 2014
Rated 02 Nov 2016
100
94th
It's a miracle this post-christian spiritual tale works as well as it does, all of its discrete parts: Vietnam War flashbacks/Visible Demons/Government Conspiracies/Dying Double Romance/ are before and after this film clichés for other directors to get quagmired in. Stellar photography and editing, unimpeachable acting. Very solidly human.
Rated 02 Nov 2016
Rated 30 Mar 2007
60
47th
These shaggy-dog horror/fantasy films are getting old
Rated 30 Mar 2007
Rated 27 Apr 2007
87
81st
Freakin scares the bejesus out of me...still
Rated 27 Apr 2007
Rated 22 May 2007
89
86th
Atmospheric, nightmarish, and spellbinding trip into the abyss. Lyne's best and not to be missed.
Rated 22 May 2007
Rated 25 May 2007
89
88th
One of my favourite gets-under-your-skin horror films, with a (semi-)uplifting redemption for the main character in the end.
Rated 25 May 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
78
52nd
The only movie I've ever liked Tim Robbins in
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
60th
Solid psychological thriller, albeit the acting and overall look to the movie could have used some work.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 30 Oct 2020
87
65th
A-
Rated 30 Oct 2020
Rated 18 Jan 2014
80
73rd
I love the ideas and performances here, but I don't think it ever goes quite as crazy as it needs to. It also features Jason Alexander as an asshole lawyer, the casting I never knew I needed.
Rated 18 Jan 2014
Rated 25 Dec 2007
90
96th
Very strong story. Lots of interesting effects. If you watch this story with open mind, you can read the plot easily. Hint: this story opens for you the story of Lost Highway by David Lynch. The ending scene is useless and lame.
Rated 25 Dec 2007
Rated 07 Jan 2008
88
90th
Excellent story which Tim Robbins carries with style. It didn't really have to hand out the solution in the end but what can you do?
Rated 07 Jan 2008
Rated 07 Jan 2008
75
72nd
Starts well but can't keep it up. Especially the ending is a bit too revealing.
Rated 07 Jan 2008
Rated 23 Jan 2008
85
94th
Creepy, well-acted and my first exposure to this sort of tale. Consider reading 'Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' as a companion piece but, as far as I remember, this film is more of a "Is he?-Isn't he?" variation. Keeping the answer ambiguous does, I guess, add to the suspense.
Rated 23 Jan 2008
Rated 24 Apr 2021
100
98th
Rated 02 Jun 2008
65
62nd
Trippy, vague movie. Not bad, especially if you are on hallucinogens.
Rated 02 Jun 2008
Rated 25 Feb 2012
55
11th
A taut, well-acted thriller that was actually rather engaging throughout, but unfortunately presents too many questions than can be reasonably explained and builds to a contrived anti-climax of faux-philosophical nonsense.
Rated 25 Feb 2012
Rated 14 Dec 2008
60
32nd
Decent psycho-thriller with some great effects topped off by a terrible ending.
Rated 14 Dec 2008
Rated 31 Jan 2012
75
67th
vietnam savasi, psikolojik sorunlar, deney, askeri deney, sirt agrisi, takip edilmek (vietnam savasina katilan Jacop svas sonrasi cevreye uyumda sikintilar ceker. takip edildigini düsünmektedir. büyük oglu ölmüs ve esinden bosanmistir. Basarili bir PSIKOLOJIK GERILIM. mustehcen. bayagi mustehcen)
Rated 31 Jan 2012
Rated 28 Apr 2009
90
66th
What the Silent Hill Movie should have been.
Rated 28 Apr 2009
Rated 10 Jun 2009
70
59th
A bit too out there for my mind to be able to grasp it all, but the conspiracy bit is good.
Rated 10 Jun 2009
Rated 13 Jan 2017
88
84th
Very creepy and effective
Rated 13 Jan 2017
Rated 24 Jan 2012
92
92nd
I may never forgive them for cutting the scene with the mailbag moving from the preview, but I'll never forget the party scene. Though I will try.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
Rated 17 Jun 2024
97
89th
The better version of Enter the Void. Remember to release all attachments. You will, after all, one day die. And there is no escape. The real mystery, however, is did the U.S. use BZ in combat in Vietnam? Do a little paranoid digging and the lack of an answer might trouble you... And for the record, if Elizabeth Peña's demon keeps me trapped in the Matrix/Hell of existence, I'm fucking staying.
Rated 17 Jun 2024
Rated 21 Feb 2010
60
61st
Great film that leaves you questioning what actually happened, what was imagined and questions the realities and struggles of life and death. It is interesting to see the interpretation of what we cling to in life and what haunts us and how the mind tries to make sense of it all. Weird and creepy but worth the watch.
Rated 21 Feb 2010
Rated 21 Mar 2010
96
99th
Jacob's Ladder is one movie that I'd seen referenced and recommended for years before finally giving in the time of day and being surprisingly spellbound. Robbins' is only better in Howard the Duck.
Rated 21 Mar 2010
Rated 17 Oct 2023
85
93rd
Fortunately went into this without knowing any spoilers for the plot, though that I've managed to evade them all these years feels pretty magical! It was just as good as I expected it to be. A complex tale with many levels and hints, different ways to interpret what is happening as the plot moves along, and some genuinely unsettling and creepy scenes. So good, so twisted.
Rated 17 Oct 2023
Rated 09 Nov 2015
70
61st
I feel like it wrote itself into a corner and the ending was a real letdown. However, the ride to get there was interesting enough. The tension and atmosphere of the whole film were really outstanding though.
Rated 09 Nov 2015
Rated 02 Jan 2013
75
66th
Although I'm not quite sure if the ending was necessary, the overall story and ascension towards the revelation is very convincing. I was spooked a few times!
Rated 02 Jan 2013
Rated 13 Nov 2012
60
34th
* Casting, Acting : 6 * Script : 6 * Directing, Aura : 6 * Ease of Viewing : 6 * Naked Eye : 6
Rated 13 Nov 2012
Rated 02 Sep 2010
53
12th
Fikir olarak guzel olsa da islenis olarak pek begenemedigimi soylemeliyim. Savasi yasayan bir adamin cesitli sebeplerle yasadigi psikolojik travmalar denebilir kisaca.
Rated 02 Sep 2010
Rated 15 Sep 2010
70
53rd
It has its moments... both good and bad.
Rated 15 Sep 2010
Rated 27 Nov 2022
72
73rd
The more mundane daily life scenes really breathe and make you wish they dropped the blatant horror elements altogether. The way Adrian Lyne captures the grief, PTSD and generally dirty and dilapidated existence of Jacob is the strength of the film, as well as Tim Robbins who acted his ass off here. I think Jacob's Ladder is a prime example of what a "flawed masterpiece" is.
Rated 27 Nov 2022
Rated 12 Dec 2010
70
53rd
the ending is just stupid. tim robbins' performance is not.
Rated 12 Dec 2010
Rated 30 Dec 2010
65
10th
the horror scenes are great... the other scenes, not so much. the end was way too sentimental.
Rated 30 Dec 2010
Rated 03 Aug 2011
77
71st
Terrifying, unique and intriguing-- it sticks with me.
Rated 03 Aug 2011
Rated 05 Nov 2022
92
95th
Goddamn brilliant! One of the creepiest and most intriguing psychological thrillers I've ever seen! Robbins' performance works so well with the plot twists and suspense, and the editing manages to be trippy enough for the experience but not overtly over the top either. Cliched here and there but overall I'm shocked people don't talk more about this movie.
Rated 05 Nov 2022
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