Jacob's Ladder (1990)
A Vietnam veteran's reality unravels into a bleak, surreal nightmare of chilling visions and gritty despair.
After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie, and ex-wife, Sarah, try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis, fails to reach him as he descends into madness.
How intense is Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder is properly scary, with light gore and some violence. Emotionally it is devastating. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated R.
What Jacob's Ladder feels like
- Tone
- suspensefulbleakchillingsurrealgritty
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream Jacob's Ladder
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Jacob's Ladder for you?
Is Jacob's Ladder scary?
Yes, properly. Jacob's Ladder is scare level 2 of 3, the real thing without being an endurance test.
Is Jacob's Ladder gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3).
Is Jacob's Ladder sad or heavy?
Yes. Emotional weight 3 of 3. It hits hard; do not plan anything light after.
Is Jacob's Ladder OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 2, gore 1, violence 1, each out of 3.
How long is Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder runs 1h 53m.
Where can I stream Jacob's Ladder?
Jacob's Ladder is streaming on Paramount+ and MGM+.
Does Jacob's Ladder have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
It leaves the ending open to interpretation.
Cast and crew
More like Jacob's Ladder
Matched on genre, tone, intensity and pace, not just keywords.
Shutter Island (2010)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA marshal's investigation into a missing patient unravels amidst chilling visions and a pervasive sense of dread.
Psycho (1960)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA woman on the run finds a chilling, atmospheric motel where dread steadily builds to a shocking twist.
The Exorcist (1973)Terrifying · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA mother's desperate fight for her possessed daughter unfolds with bleak, gritty suspense.
The Skin I Live In (2011)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA brilliant surgeon perfects synthetic skin, but his mysterious test subject holds the chilling key to his obsession.
The Devil's Advocate (1997)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measuredAn ambitious lawyer's new job in New York quickly becomes a darkly-comic, suspenseful descent into something evil.
The Thing (1982)Terrifying · extreme gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyAn Antarctic research team faces a shape-shifting alien, creating a chilling atmosphere of paranoia and suspense.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA surreal, slow-burn mystery unravels as dark visions and supernatural encounters haunt agents investigating a murder.
Se7en (1995)Properly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastatingTwo detectives hunt a serial killer whose gruesome crimes are meticulously based on the seven deadly sins.
Find Jacob's Ladder in
Want five more like Jacob's Ladder?
Tell CouchRot the mood. It picks from what you can actually stream and learns from every rating.
Get CouchRot, it's freeThis product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.