Movie Review: Salt

Aug 25 2010 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge

Salt

SALT stars Angelina Jolie as CIA agent Evelyn Salt on the run from her own colleagues after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy.

Evelyn’s boss Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) has trouble believing she is a mole or double agent but her attempts to prove her innocence only serve to cast further doubt on where her loyalty lies.

There has been a lot of talk of Salt being a ‘female Bond’ or ‘female Bourne.’ It has more in common with the latter and with the inclusion of moles and presidential assassination attempts, could fall comfortably into a typical day in Jack Bauer’s (24) diary.

Salt works on its own right, though, but mainly through the choice to place a female in the lead role.

This offers a fresh take on a formula that was in danger of becoming too familiar. It also helps that Salt is a gripping tale with plenty of action and twists and turns.

Kurt Wimmer’s script pulls you into the story but the film’s biggest flaw is the lack of connection you feel with the characters.

Director Phillip Noyce has worked with Jolie (The Bone Collector) and a CIA character (Patriot Games) before and could have spent a bit more time getting under the skin of his on-screen characters, especially his lead.

Salt is a star vehicle for Jolie as a female action heroine. She’s done action before, both decent (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) and very good (Wanted).

Jolie has shown more of her true self in serious fare (Gia, Girl Interrupted) but seems to have more fun toting guns and taking part in hand-to-hand combat.

She shows vulnerability (early on), steely determination and impressive physicality as she dishes out, and takes, some beatings.

Of the supporting cast only the very good Schreiber makes an impression and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s (Peabody) talents are rather wasted.

After a talky first 20 minutes the film barely pauses for breath, which is helped along by James Newton Howard’s pumping score.

A freeway chase with Salt hopping between vehicles and commandeering a motorbike is one of the year’s best action sequences.

A shock second act twist raises a multitude of questions and although you can see a character’s late change of allegiance coming, its still effective, which is testament to the cast and story.

Salt is a thoroughly entertaining action thriller and Jolie certainly more than holds her own in comparison with Damon’s Bourne and Craig’s Bond.

It does feel, though, like a bit of a set-up to bigger and better things and maybe this explains why we don’t delve too deep into our heroine’s psyche.

The plan is to try and turn this into a franchise and I for one certainly wouldn’t mind an extra pinch of Salt.

Rating - 7 out of 10.