Jacob's Ladder
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Where to watch: Not on major US streamers — check digital rental.
How it scared people
The vibe
Those juddering, blurred faces were achieved by filming actors shaking their heads at a few frames per second and playing it back at normal speed — no digital anything, and it still reads as fundamentally wrong. Tim Robbins carries a Vietnam veteran's grief through a New York that keeps rearranging itself. Silent Hill exists because of the hospital sequence.
Jacob's Ladder (1990) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | Rated R |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 113 minutes |
| Jump scares | 3/5 — moderately scary, with a handful of strong sequences |
| Gore | 2/5 — only light gore |
| Dread | 5/5 — the kind of film that follows you around for days |
| Themes | psychological distress; paranoia and distrust; death and grief, often within a family |
Jacob's Ladder is rated R by the MPA. We score it 3/5 for jump scares, 2/5 for gore and 5/5 for lingering dread, over 113 minutes. Very little blood — the hard part here is atmosphere and aftermath, not graphic content. Older teens and adults — less for what it shows than for how long it stays with you.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is Jacob's Ladder?
- On our intensity scale, Jacob's Ladder rates 6/10 for jump scares and 10/10 for dread. It is moderately scary, with a handful of strong sequences. Expect little in the way of jump scares, but a sense of dread that builds steadily and lingers after the credits.
- How gory is Jacob's Ladder?
- Jacob's Ladder rates 4/10 for gore — expect only light gore.
- How long is Jacob's Ladder?
- Jacob's Ladder runs 113 minutes (1h 53m).
- What is Jacob's Ladder rated?
- Jacob's Ladder is rated R by the MPA. On our own scale it rates 6/10 for jump scares, 4/10 for gore and 10/10 for dread — the R tells you what it was certified, those tell you what it will do to you.
- Where to watch Jacob's Ladder (1990)?
- Jacob's Ladder is not on major US subscription streamers right now — look for it on digital rental or purchase (Apple TV, Prime Video, or your usual store).
Jacob's Ladder (1990) Cast
- Tim RobbinsJacob
- Elizabeth PeñaJezzie
- Danny AielloLouis
- Matt CravenMichael
- Pruitt Taylor VincePaul
- Jason AlexanderGeary
- Patricia KalemberSarah
- Eriq La SalleFrank
Top-billed, in IMDb's billing order.
