It's safe to argue I think that Jacob's Ladder is a good movie, but it felt to me like it could have been a great one. I know that some folks (including Roger Ebert) argue that it is a great movie, yet I see a bit of error. The problem (as is frequently the case with movies) is in storytelling. The plot elements don't come together in the best of fashions, leaving Jacob's Ladder without a clear sense of direction. One minute it's a horror film, the next minute, it's a thriller, then a war drama, then an emotional/psychological drama. Sometimes it's inventive, sometimes generic.
What I DO like about the movie, is that is is almost always interesting. Tim Robbin's gives a credible and very 'human' performance, even though it is not his best work. Adrian Lynn's direction and photography are competent, and when it wants to be, Jacob's Ladder can actually be a real shocker. It is a movie that finds a balance between horror and heart, not too sentimental but not too sissy either. It starts to run out of steam a bit at the end, but I'll gladly say that left me satisfied.
What I DO like about the movie, is that is is almost always interesting. Tim Robbin's gives a credible and very 'human' performance, even though it is not his best work. Adrian Lynn's direction and photography are competent, and when it wants to be, Jacob's Ladder can actually be a real shocker. It is a movie that finds a balance between horror and heart, not too sentimental but not too sissy either. It starts to run out of steam a bit at the end, but I'll gladly say that left me satisfied.