Salt (2010)

Credits / Details

DVD Cover (Sony Home Entertainment Unrated)

64%
Overall Rating

Ranked #578
...out of 20,886 movies

Genres: Thriller Unglamorized Spy Film

Evelyn Salt is a CIA agent and highly respected by all, including her boss, Ted Winter. Out of the blue, a Russian spy walks into their offices and offers a vital piece of information: the President of Russia will be assassinated during his forthcoming visit to New York City to attend the funeral of the recently deceased U.S. Vice President. The name of the assassin: Evelyn Salt. Concerned about the safety of her husband, who she cannot contact, she goes on the run. Winter refuses to accept that she is a mole or a double agent but her actions begin to raise doubts. Just who is Evelyn Salt and what is she planning? --IMDb

Review by Lucid Dreams
Added: May 5, 2011

I've always enjoyed logging into Netflix after a couple of weeks to see a large amount of new movies for me to watch. There were a lot to choose from, but I wanted something that wouldn't require a lot of attention and Salt seemed like that kind of movie. I've never really considered Angelina Jolie to be such an amazing actress, mainly because her movies are consist of two things: her boobs, and kicking the crap out of people. So, I was thinking that this movie would follow that pattern because practically all of them have followed this, but I wanted to give Angelina the benefit of the doubt.

The story is focused on Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie). Salt is your average CIA agent who is very impressive in her job, has a good relationship with her boss, Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) and has a husband, Mike (August Diehl), who is nothing short but perfect for her. Everything is just peachy until a Russian spy walks into the CIA building to give up some information. The spy is there to tell the CIA that the President of Russia will be assassinated on his visit to New York City and the assassin in named Evelyn Salt. Salt is panicking about her husband's safety, and Agent Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) doesn't buy it for a second because he is convinced that she is a mole. She has no other resources but to go on the run and try to prove her innocence.

I enjoyed the beginning of the movie because it had a good pace of action and the chase element was well done. We didn't know what was going on and it was nice to see Angelina play the somewhat helpless victim in the movie. I can say that if the movie followed what they had from the start that I would have really liked it, but it didn't. Once Salt's hair color is changed the direction of the movie plot-wise and style-wise are as well. Once this happened the movie turned dull and clichéd. It was just no fun for me because I spent the last act of the movie eye-rolling at the typical, if not comical, plotline that had progressed. By the end I was glad it was over.

There were various flashbacks throughout the film trying to add more to the weak plot and even weaker writing than to offer depth to the character's intention or actions as the movie makes its twist. It certainly was not needed, but I guess there may have been some viewers that were puzzled by Salt's motives in the film. Put in a few dashes of disbelief in certain scenes with no real character depth left me more annoyed than anything.

I've never been a huge fan of Angelina because she usually plays the one-note character. I will say there have been a few movies where I found her to have done an amazing job, but this is not one of them. Liev is an actor I have always enjoyed watching on screen, but he is now falling into that problem as well. He did a fine job on here, but because of his recent movies it was easy to see through his character. However, Chiwetel, -I thought was above the rest of them. He performed his parts well, aside from the ending where I wanted to just punch everyone including him.

Overall: This was a failed attempt of making a Bourne Identity film based off a woman. This could have been a much better film because the director, Phillip Noyce, has made some good ones including The Bone Collector, which had Angelina in it. Sadly, this was a waste of time, but I'm sure I would have given this a much higher score if it would have had the same impression from start to finish. 4/10.

#1: AttnDefDis - added May 5, 2011 at 11:11pm
I'm glad someone finally reviewed this. I personally love Angelina Jolie and think she's a great actress in many of her non action movies, but I love when she's kicking ass because she's great at it. Plus, she's one of the few females who can pull this off well. Which, is why when Tom Cruise was replaced, they were able to switch genders. I've never read the book, but I'd be interested to see what other major liberties they took with the storyline. Yes, the story was pretty unbelievable, but Angelina provided all the entertainment I needed. I mean, she's a fucking machine! If you watch the alternate versions of the movie, they're pretty different than the theatrical release. Some cuts make it better and some make it worse. Personally, my only problem with this movie was the complete lack of finality at the end. Oh, and her dressing up as a dude was a little hard to take and kind of disturbing. Overall, I was entertained. It is an action movie after all. I wasn't looking for depth or Oscar winning performances. On a side note, despite the fact that Angelina Jolie has naturally long dark hair, I'm convinced she was wearing a wig in every single scene. Which, I found odd.

#2: Lucid Dreams - added May 6, 2011 at 3:39pm
My wife and myself thought the same thing with the wig.

#3: Norman S. Wolfe - added May 7, 2011 at 8:08am
Interesting review...but...any movie featuring Angelina gets an automatic, minimum start-point classification, of 6/10. No maybe, buts, or ifs. If Angelina is in the credits, the minimum starting point is 6/10...then we can worry about the trivial, such as: is the movie any good?
I expect the rating to be altered accordingly...unless you're gay, that is (ignore this last bit if you are female, in that case: it is not only OK, but strongly recommended that your sexual preferences be as all-encompassing as humanly possible).
As for Salt, I reckon an 8/10 will suffice ;)

#4: AttnDefDis - added May 7, 2011 at 11:31am
Though I'm a fan of hers, that is one of the worst justifications I've ever heard. She alone is the only reason you liked the movie? She could read excerpts from the dictionary and it would be a 6/10 and if you don't think so you're automatically gay? Wow.

#5: Crispy - added May 7, 2011 at 8:42pm
Please dont feed the trolls. I mean to be fair I dont think he's actually trolling so much as just a douchebag; but either way, don't encourage him.

#6: Lucid Dreams - added May 7, 2011 at 8:58pm
I guess I shouldn't have reviewed this : /

#7: C L - added May 7, 2011 at 9:28pm
I'm not trolling but I do subscribe to the theory that pretty much anything with St. Angelina is worth a watch. And in my defense just check out Chad's review of any Misty Mundae movie. Some chicks just get the benefit of the doubt based on their general awesomeness. And I did watch this movie btw. 6/10

#8: Chad - added May 8, 2011 at 4:31am
Guilty as charged!

#9: Crispy - added May 9, 2011 at 12:14am
Shit Tony, remember toe comments on my Transformers 2 review? Classic

#10: Lucid Dreams - added May 9, 2011 at 1:27am
Yeah, that was awesome. I was sad that he just left like that when things were getting really good.

#11: Norman S. Wolfe - added May 9, 2011 at 9:49am
Some of you guys really need to buy yourselves a few tons of sense of humor, along with a brand new personality. As for the trolling bit...quick, hide your porn, mommy is coming with some afternoon snacks. Get a life, a wife, and some pubes...

PS » Bad news: Since a sense of humor is a sign of intelligence, it appears that it can't be bought. Looks like some of you people are just going to have to bare living a whole life with yourselves...of course, there are always options, if it gets to unbearable for you ;)

#12: Lucid Dreams - added May 9, 2011 at 11:07am
This guy is super funny, so he must be really smart and gets all of the ladies. I'm jealous : /