Warning - Major Spoilers
Let me start by saying that I had to watch this movie four (4) times before I truly understood it. For some people, a movie this complicated can be horrible, for others, a wonderful experience.
The movie starts with Jacob in Vietnam. He experiences a horrible fight one evening that we later learn was between the members of his squad. He manages to live through the battle and returns home. Back in the United States, Jacob returns to a "normal" life . . . for a little while. Then the demons start to appear, seemingly stocking him. He looks for solutions in various doctors and psychiatrists getting the whole ball rolling.
At first glance, the events play out like a Vietnam vet experiencing some flashbacks and post-war stress. There are a few important keys to keep in mind though:
1. Jacob is always going to the chiropractor for a stiff back. The chiropractor tells him that he should probably be stiff since he's dead.
2. There are parts of his memory that are missing.
3. Absolutely the most important part of the film is the very last scene where Jacob is being lifted into a helicopter and the medics are saying they are losing him.
This all roles into one marvelous twist - Jacob actually died in Vietnam and the entire movie was a hallucination brought on by "The Ladder". An absolutely genius bit of story telling and a must see for the serious viewer.
Let me start by saying that I had to watch this movie four (4) times before I truly understood it. For some people, a movie this complicated can be horrible, for others, a wonderful experience.
The movie starts with Jacob in Vietnam. He experiences a horrible fight one evening that we later learn was between the members of his squad. He manages to live through the battle and returns home. Back in the United States, Jacob returns to a "normal" life . . . for a little while. Then the demons start to appear, seemingly stocking him. He looks for solutions in various doctors and psychiatrists getting the whole ball rolling.
At first glance, the events play out like a Vietnam vet experiencing some flashbacks and post-war stress. There are a few important keys to keep in mind though:
1. Jacob is always going to the chiropractor for a stiff back. The chiropractor tells him that he should probably be stiff since he's dead.
2. There are parts of his memory that are missing.
3. Absolutely the most important part of the film is the very last scene where Jacob is being lifted into a helicopter and the medics are saying they are losing him.
This all roles into one marvelous twist - Jacob actually died in Vietnam and the entire movie was a hallucination brought on by "The Ladder". An absolutely genius bit of story telling and a must see for the serious viewer.
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