Critically acclaimed and incredibly haunting, the 1990 horror movie Jacob's Ladder has an ending that shocks and stuns. With an unforgettable performance by Tim Robbins in the main role and a message about PTSD and grief, Jacob's Ladder has been talked about ever since its release. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin and directed by Adrian Lyne, the movie doesn't follow a traditional story formula, which is what makes it so different and interesting.
While there are many movies about the effects of war, Jacob's Ladder paints a fascinating and devastating picture of a young man who is scared of what's happening to him. He is an immediately sympathetic character who has many personal struggles and who audiences connect with right away. What happens during Jacob's Ladder and what makes the ending so unexpected and memorable?
What Is Jacob's Ladder About?
Jacob's Ladder follows Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins), who has been fighting in Vietnam. It's 1971 and he runs into the jungle when his fellow soldiers are getting hurt and then someone attacks him. Then he opens his eyes and he's on the New York City subway in 1975, trying to put the pieces of his life back together. Jacob's Ladder is a thought-provoking psychological horror movie that is also a character study of a troubled young man.
Jacob spends the movie wondering what's happening to him as he isn't sure what is reality and what isn't. He is grieving his war experiences and his son Gabe Singer's (Macaulay Culkin) death. He has some strange experiences, from a psychic saying that he's dead at a party to being informed that his doctor isn't alive.
It's tough watching him go through so much and feel so much pain. These scenes make Jacob one of the best horror movie main characters as audiences really get to know him. And the narrative structure makes Jacob a more fully formed character since audiences get a glimpse into his mind and all of the things that he keeps thinking about.
What Happens At The End Of Jacob's Ladder?
The Jacob's Ladder ending shares that Jacob died in 1971 from his injuries and has been dead throughout the entire movie. This is one of the most memorable plot twists in a movie and is often what people think of when they talk about Jacob's Ladder. The plot twist is as unexpected as it should be, but it also works because it emphasizes how traumatizing the experience of war is. Of course, there is also a hint that he isn't alive, as the psychic at a party explained that to him.
Before Jacob's fate is made clear, however, he finds himself in a terrible hospital and someone tells him that he has passed away. Louis Denardo (Danny Aiello), his friend, is able to help him... at least for the time being. This moment may be brief. But it's also an example of why Jacob's Ladder is a perfect psychological horror movie because it's hard to know whether Jacob is a trustworthy narrator or if something else is really going on.
A man named Michael Newman then begins talking to Jacob, explaining that he created the drug The Ladder that Jacob's fellow soldiers were tricked into taking. This made them kill each other. Jacob then remembers when he was fighting in Vietnam and was hurt. He realizes that another soldier harmed him. When Jacob goes back home, he sees the ghost of Gabe. Gabe takes him up the stairs, which is a moving metaphor for accepting that he is dead as there is a light.
Jacob's Ladder then explains that Jacob died in 1971 with doctors saying that there was nothing that could be done. Jacob's Ladder is a 1990s horror movie that holds up as it takes a thoughtful look at PTSD. Jacob may have actually been dead the whole time, but his experiences mirror what so many soldiers go through.
How Is The Jacob's Ladder Remake Different?
The 2019 Jacob's Ladder remake stars Michael Ealy as Jacob Singer and there are a few differences. For one thing, there are fewer characters. For another, the story is different. This time, Jacob is a trauma surgeon and his brother Isaac (Jesse Williams) has died in the war. It seems that Isaac might be alive, though. Like in the original movie, Jacob sees many strange visions and is confused about what is real and what isn't.
While not one of the worst horror movie remakes, the Jacob's Ladder remake doesn't feel as engaging as the original. Because the premise is about a character searching for the truth about his brother and not himself, it doesn't feel quite as compelling. And for many horror fans, Jacob's Ladder is such a classic that an update wasn't necessary.