Jacob's Ladder

It's going to be hard to top the horror classic and I'm not surprised. Was hoping to be at least mediocre the way many copy-paste-randomize movies are being coughed up these days but went far below expectations. The very things that made the original so scary, dream-like and shocking is simply not there.

I love the original. It is definitely a niche horror film, but so well written, directed and cast. You felt the horror the character of Jacob (Tim Robbins) was going through. Supporting cast were great as well, maing it a well-rounded uniqe experience. So, what would happen in a remake...I was excited to find out. Well, with many plot changes and character changes as well it started on the wrong foot. Without spoiling the film, it went so off course from the original premise as to actually be another film entirely. They could have named this another title and it might have been received more forgivingly (though the story was rubbish). Avoid it at all costs and stick with the oiginal. The acting was appalling, the direction confused and the writing....well, I don't know what the writer was thinking.

Let's get this out of the way first; the original Jacob's Ladder is a great and unique film that by no means needs an updated version. If you want to watch a great version of it, just go watch the original.

Story: While it is a remake, it is not a shot for shot reiteration. Several key story elements have been changed up, but many of the scenes reappear in a different context. The problem with this is that some of them feel shoved in to pay fan service to the original. The changes to the story and characters are at times major, and it feels like they are trying to tell a similar story just with vastly different parameters and it doesn't quite fit right.

Acting: The three main actors do a very serviceable job in their respected roles, however Michael Ealy really wasn't able to fully capture the same insane paranoia that Tim Robbins brought.

Production: The cinematography, while not bad, was lacking creativity and polish. The sound design was solid throughout. The effects on the other hand were cheesy and repetitious. They drastically overused the sped up head and camera shaking effect, while the cgi would have looked like it was 10 years old, 10 years ago. Seriously, half-assed practical effects would have looked much better than this shoddy cgi.

Entertainment: Well, there was little. It honestly felt like one of the most generic and predictable films that I have seen in a long time. I understand that it's difficult to make a remake unique, but this iteration has no heart, enjoyment, or identity to it at all and it just falls flat.

Overall: It's not the worst movie that you could watch, but there's really no reason to watch it. It's bland, mediocre, and the only thing scary about it are the bad special effects. Like I said before, if you want to watch a great version of it, just go watch the original. A generous 4/10

Someone seriously thought it would be a good idea to take Jacob's Ladder, a classic take on life and death, and turn it into a second-rate thriller with none of the profundity and existential dread of the earlier movie? Was there nobody to say that's a dumb idea, the script is abysmal, you're fired? I approached this with an open mind, I love the original but I thought a remake might be interesting. It wasn't. It was unimaginative and uninspired garbage. Do yourself a huge favor, go watch the earlier version and avoid this one like the plague.

Here we go again, another remake. I have to say, Hollywood seems stuck in an originally rut. Granted, Adrian Lyne's 1990 thriller did not do well upon its release and was by no means a box office smash (according to Wikipedia it had a 26 million dollar draw on a 25 million dollar budget) however, it has fallen into cult status among film lovers. With its unique, nightmarish cinematography and editing, ingenious story line and awesome casting (the Danny Aiello scene in which he explains his thoughts on angels and demons to Tim Robbins, was classic), it kept you on the edge of your seat. I remember watching this movie and leaving the theater thinking, now that was a psychological thriller. I thought Fatal Attraction, Lyne's Academy nominated box office hit was good, but somewhat predictable, and Jacob's Latter was the better film. The original Jacob's Latter was not predictable and seemed more, engrossing. David Rosenthal's version seems as if it wants to be a unique film in the narrative, with a similar plot to the original but with some key factors changed. However, in doing this, he pulls elements from the first film, such as the flashes of horrific and grotesque imagery, among other things into the story, as if to remind us, for some reason, it's a remake. Along with the plot changes, which fail to elevate or heighten the new version really in any way, it lacks the suspense or dread its predecessor delivered so masterfully. Although I do think Michael Ealy is a great actor and his efforts are worth mentioning, in comparison to Lyne's film, it misses the mark. Remaking original movies has become the norm these days in Hollywood and it has become a sad affair. I know there has to be fresh young writers out there with great material of their own. Unfortunately they seem to be at the mercy of the executives who would rather go with a re-hash than take a chance on an original idea. The bottom line is: stop doing remakes Hollywood! These may be good ideas in some cases, i.e. the big budget hits of yester-year (mainly Disney), but hit and miss, at best, for underrated gems like the original. Pass this one up and watch the classic.