Jacob's Ladder (2019 film)
A 2019 remake of the 1990 psychological horror film.
Jacob's Ladder is a 2019 American psychological horror film directed by David M. Rosenthal, with a screenplay by Jeff Buhler and Sarah Thorp. It is a remake of the 1990 film of the same name. The cast includes Michael Ealy, Jesse Williams, Nicole Beharie, Karla Souza, and Guy Burnet. The movie first aired on DISH Network on July 25, 2019, and then received a theatrical release on August 30, 2019, through Vertical Entertainment. Critical reception was largely negative.
After his brother dies in combat, soldier Jacob Singer returns from Afghanistan and descends into a paranoid, disorienting state. He comes to believe his sibling is still alive, but reality itself seems to shift around him. Singer must determine what is genuine and what is not.
Michael Ealy plays Jacob Singer, with Jesse Williams as his brother Isaac Singer. Nicole Beharie portrays Samantha Singer, Karla Souza appears as Annie/Angel, and Guy Burnet plays Hoffman, a pharmacist at the Veteran Agency.
The project began in 2013 when Jeff Buhler, who wrote *The Midnight Meat Train*, was hired to write a script for LD Entertainment. The producers aimed for an homage rather than a direct copy, wanting to update the story with new characters and situations while retaining the original's existential questions. James Foley was attached to direct in November 2013, but by March 2016, David M. Rosenthal had replaced him. Sarah Thorp provided rewrites when Buhler was unavailable.
Buhler noted that the American understanding of warfare and its psychological toll had changed significantly since 1990 due to two recent wars. He decided not to repeat the original's conclusion, instead seeking a new way to deliver a similar emotional impact. He promised a different twist ending than the 1990 film.
In March 2016, Michael Ealy signed on to star and executive-produce. Jesse Williams and Nicole Beharie joined in April, followed by Guy Burnet and Karla Souza in June. Williams called the film a total re-imagining of the cult classic. Principal photography began in 2018. Filming took place at Avondale station in Decatur, Georgia, and Peachtree Center in Atlanta, wrapping by August. The first official trailer was released on July 1, 2019.
The film premiered on DISH Network on July 25, 2019, and was released theatrically by Vertical Entertainment on August 30, 2019. It was originally scheduled for a February 1
- release_date
- July 25, 2019 (DISH Network); August 30, 2019 (theatrical)
Lore & Background
The film follows Jacob Singer, a soldier returning from Afghanistan after losing his brother in combat, who is pulled into a mind-twisting state of paranoia. He soon realizes his sibling is alive but life is not what it seems, and he must figure out what is real and what is not. The cast includes Michael Ealy as Jacob Singer, Jesse Williams as Isaac Singer, Nicole Beharie as Samantha Singer, Karla Souza as Annie/Angel, and Guy Burnet as Hoffman, the Veteran Agency pharmacist.
Reader's Guide
Development began in 2013 when Jeff Buhler was reported to be writing a script for LD Entertainment's new version of Jacob's Ladder. The producers aimed to create an homage rather than a mimic, contemporizing the story with new situations and characters while maintaining existential questions. James Foley was attached as director in November 2013 but was replaced by David M. Rosenthal by March 2016. Buhler noted that the cultural understanding of warfare had changed since 1990, leading to a different twist ending than the original. Principal photography began on May 2, 2016, with filming in Decatur, Georgia and Atlanta, concluding by August 2016. The film premiered on DISH Network on July 25, 2019, and was released theatrically on August 23, 2019, by Vertical Entertainment. It was released on Netflix on December 22, 2019. Reception was largely negative: on Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 4% approval rating based on 24 reviews, with a consensus calling it 'a needless remake that quickly loses sight of the themes that elevated the original.' On Metacritic it has a weighted average score of 31 out of 100, indicating 'generally unfavorable' reviews. Critics noted the film lacked the intensity of the original and felt like a half-hearted sketch.
Did You Know?
- The film was broadcast on DISH Network on July 25, 2019, before its theatrical release on August 30, 2019.
- Michael Ealy both starred in
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