Mondo Bungle

*I think Jacob's Ladder succeeds as suspenseful and mysterious non linear story that serves to scramble your brain the first time and reassemble it the next time. Like Mulholland Drive. Jacob's Ladder is good when you combat it strictly as a film, it's put together well and has real cool elements. It's an original presentation of s totally unoriginal idea. The whole "Am I dead?" thing is super cliche, but in all fairness I'm just a young hooligan and I wasn't there to experience it when it hit the scene

I drew a Pi comparison because they both hit me nearly the same way, mildly, but Jacob's Ladder does have wayyy more substance. Sure Pi is cool and original but it is so damn frail. I imagine its a move more about themes than plot/conflict, because even what little traces of those it has are pretty whatever, and the pursuit is uneventful. Plus both have protagonists that I'm not too ecstatic about. In Pi's case, it isn't bad character development at all. He just comes off as confrontationally pretentious and reclusive in his goals and sometimes he makes it hard to like him. But then at the same time, he's obviously a damaged individual that calls for sympathy, the headache/anxiety sequences are super intense, like he's experiencing a pain much worse than we even comprehend as simple film viewers. I'd say that he's a person you might not like much, or just totally hate, but you're rooting for him all the same. Jacob's Ladder's protagonist is just kinda bland.

That's what I think, prep yer lynch mobs

__________________