MovieChat Forums > Jacob's Ladder (1990) Discussion > The demons really seemed to be after him...

The demons really seemed to be after him...

posted 7 years ago by kellycallie (728)
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This is what I couldn't figure out. He seemed like a decent man who was killed serving his country and who loved his family. Perhaps they were taking advantage of his ''weak spot'' of losing his youngest son? maybe his grief attracted them to him while in purgatory. He still didn't really deserve it.

[–] Solitary (1) 5 years ago

Louie (chiropractor) explains it in the movie during the last session they had together.

Eckhart saw hell, too. You know what he said? He said the only thing that burns in hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life... your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you, he said. They're freeing your soul.

So it's not punishment or question of good vs evil, but his unwillingness to let go and die. Which he eventually does and follows his dead son to heaven which is the point where he finally dies in Vietnam after "putting up hell of a fight" as the medic soldier puts it...