I wasn't expecting much from this, but I was intrigued from the start. You don't have to be a genius to work out the twist, but it was good. I thought all of the actors did a great job with a sometimes challenging genre. I care for people who've done terrible things when they've been in psychosis, and then come to and they're broken people after they realise what they've done, so this gave me insight into ptsd, trauma and mental health. I really liked the special effects, particularly the wings scene, it was beautiful. Update.. 3 days later. So, I watched the original. And Jesus Christ this film pales in comparison. I was obviously unprepared and it has literally taken me two days to watch it, as I couldn't physically get passed the dance scene. Those who haven't seen the original, and watch this first like I did, will wonder if the criticism of this version is warranted. But I implore you to watch the original. It's vicious, disturbing, visceral, beautiful and will stay with you for days, if not months. I get it now, purists. Jesus do I get it. It's frustrating that the most potent and astonishing line in the original (said by Louis, the chiroprator) that Jacob uses to let go of his attachments, just gets dropped in, at one of the weirdest points in the film in this version, making it appear tone deaf and badly photoshopped somehow. This version now appears PG in comparison, and spoon fed. In the original we are buckled in and thrown around the rusty, blood splattered rollercoaster in the dark, with occasional strobe lights, feeling as if we are right next to Jacob, wondering if he's dead or insane. There are no clear answers and no cheap thrills here, and we have to develop our own insights. With this version, it's wrapped very neatly, to the point that half way through i comprehended the twist, like a murder she wrote. It should have been released under a different name, yet drawing on some aspects of the original. I would imagine it's score would have got up to 6. For those of you reviewing this and making vile rascist comments about the actors ethnicities? GTFOA...unbelievable! That has zero bearing on why this film hasn't impressed me..at all.
Review of Jacob's Ladder
