Jacob's Ladder

Every year come Oscar time, movie buffs take delight (and outrage) in singling out at least one major stupid nomination. The 1988 Oscar ceremony was a cash cropper in this regard--but my favorite was Adrian Lyne's nomination for Best Director (Fatal Attraction). After Flashdance and 91/2 Weeks, one would have thought that the MTV-inspired auteur's shortcomings would be apparent. Not so; Fatal Attraction proved to be Lyne's big achievement. Basically a slash/trash film (lots of gore; lots of sex--none of it taking place in so pedestrian a place as the bed), Fatal Attraction stands out as being one of the most intellectually impoverished nominations for Best Picture of the last decade. So, in the three years following Oscar night, what hath Adrian wrought? Jacob's Ladder, the perfect mismatch of film and director. Tim Robbins stars as Jacob Singer, a Vietnam vet who is haunted both in nightmares and everyday life by demons. Jacob's fractured psyche is related to a particular incident during the war when he was wounded, but the memory only comes to him in bits and pieces. Elizabeth Pena stars as Jacob's girlfriend--she doesn't add much to an already confusing story, but her primary function seems to be to walk around half undressed through most of her scenes. After 100 minutes of total chaos and nearly excruciating boredom, the audience is given a "reason" for Jacob's condition. This only succeeds in opening providing another baker's dozen of unanswered questions. The "idea" behind Jacob's Ladder is promising (once you find it), but since it depends on shifting reality, it was a major mistake to have a director whose hold on reality is already tenuous, at best, film it. I'm not a suspicious guy, but I suggest you walk around Jacob's Ladder, and keep on going. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)