Although not an immediate success at the box office, Jacob’s Ladder has gone on to earn a cult following and inspire a number of other famous works, most notably the Silent Hill game franchise. The film follows Jacob Singer, a Vietnam veteran who has been experiencing strange hallucinations and fragmentary visions. As his condition worsens, he desperately struggles to find out the truth of what’s happening to him.
Twenty years later, in 2019, a new version of the classic film was released. Written by Jeff Buhler of Midnight Meat Train, the 2019 Jacob’s Ladder aims to deliver an homage to the classic story with new situations and characters, matching the feel of the original movie but telling a different story.
While fans of a classic film are almost always going to be less than pleased about a remake, the 2019 Jacob’s Ladder has gotten a lot of negative reviews. But, does it deserve all the hate? How does it compare to the original, and does it have its own legs to stand on as a movie?
What Jacob's Ladder (2019) Changes From The Original Movie
In the original 1990 Jacob’s Ladder, the story focuses around main character Jacob Singer, who, after returning home from the Vietnam War, begins to experience strange visions and hallucinations. He starts losing track of what’s real and what’s not, and, as his mentality declines, he struggles harder and harder to figure out what’s really going on.
The 2019 Jacob’s Ladder takes this same basic premise and sets it in modern day. In this movie, Jacob Singer returns home from Afghanistan. While Jacob’s health initially seems to be fine with the exception of the occasional PTSD-type flashback, the story focuses primarily on his brother Isaac at first. Isaac, as far as Jacob knew, died in Afghanistan, but now he’s back in Atlanta and alive. As both stories progress, both Jacobs begin to increasingly lose touch with reality as each discover that something more sinister than simple PTSD has happened to them and other veterans coming home from the war.
In the 1990 Jacob’s Ladder, heavy biblical references lead into a twist ending that reveals the entire film has been Jacob struggling with the realization that he’s dying. The movie ends with Jacob finally understanding that he has to let go, and fellow soldiers declaring him dead as he lays on a cot in Vietnam, finally at peace.
In the 2019 Jacob’s Ladder, the twist ending reveals that for the entire film Jacob has thought he was living a life that is actually his brother’s. Isaac is the one married with a new baby, and Jacob is the one who nearly died in Afghanistan. He’s the man who led his troop into an ambush, and he’s the one now struggling with a severe case of PTSD that’s been exacerbated by a modified form of a drug called HDA.
Which Version Of Jacob's Ladder Is Better?
In regard to which version of the Jacob’s Ladder story is better, it really depends on personal preference. While the stories both share a similar mood and feature some of the same plot elements, they are very different movies with different themes and messages. Most people will favor the classic Jacob’s Ladder with its metaphors about death and topical anti-war messages about Vietnam and MKUltra, as it has a lot to really love. The twisty, dreamlike mood is surreal yet captivating, and the twist ending is satisfying even upon repeat watches.
That being said, there’s a lot to like in the 2019 remake as well. The twisting, turning plot is thrilling and engaging, and its messages about PTSD and the treatment of veterans are poignant and highly relevant to this day. It certainly doesn’t deserve the bad reviews it gets for existing in the shadow of the original story. Regardless of the version audiences prefer, Jacob’s Ladder is a thrilling story with a lot to say, and well-worth a watch.