26 September 2023

Jacob’s Ladder

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Reviewed by Rama Gaind.

Director: David M. Rosenthal, Defiant Screen Entertainment.

Cast: Michael Ealy, Jesse Williams, Nicole Beharie, Karla Souza, Guy Burnet.

Can’t work out the compelling need to do remakes, especially of successful films. Having watched Adrian Lyne’s enduring 1990 Jacob’s Ladder raises intricate intellectual and mystical questions. He dares to ask if nightmares are, perhaps, beautiful experiences viewed from the wrong angle. Tim Robbins played a Vietnam veteran who suffered horrifying visions and persecution nightmares.

The original film had one ambition, which is not the case with this remake from Rosenthal. However, the storyline is similar, using analogous images. Jacob Singer (Ealy, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Takers, Think Like a Man), a veteran who lost his brother in Afghanistan, simply carries the film. Settled with his wife Samantha (Beharie, Sleepy Hollow) and new child, he works at an Atlanta hospital. He’s busy supporting other traumatised veterans, helping them get pharmaceutical help for their conditions. At other times he has flashbacks of his own.

The storyline picks up when it comes to Jacob’s attention that his brother Issac (Williams) is actually alive, taking an experimental drug and living in the sewers. It’s a challenge when it comes to tackling and dealing with the horrifying experiences. Now the downside is Jacob begins to lose his sanity, just as Isaac regains his saneness.

Samantha is caught in the midst of this unease wondering whom to trust. What makes this scenario interesting is Samantha was once romantically involved with Isaac before the war. The synthesis of themes includes brotherhood, addiction and PTSD.

Name one of the films that featured Michael Ealy. If your answer is correct, then you could be one of our three Blu-ray winners of Jacob’s Ladder. Entries should be sent to [email protected] by Monday, 17 February 2020. Names of the winners will be announced in Frank Cassidy’s PS-sssst…! column on 18 February 2020.

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