Salt

Film Reviews Fri, 23 Jul 2010 Written by Mike S
Editor rating
 
 3.0 User rating
 
 1.0 (1)
Salt

After the intellectual thrills of Inception, we went along to see Salt, the female spy franchise developed by Phillip Noyce and Sony Pictures, expecting a bit of light entertainment, which is pretty much what we got (for once!).

Salt takes us back to a Cold War-type storyline involving Russia, spies and conspiracies. Jolie’s character, Evelyn Salt, learns about a secret Russian program that involves mental programming of individuals to infiltrate high-level government organizations, and particularly the CIA as a sleeper agent.  During an interrogation, a defector names her as a Russian spy/double agent, and the film rapidly moves from there as Salt's efforts to prove her innocence to the CIA, actually have the opposite effect, all while the Russian’s secret mission, called Day X – to destroy the US, draws closer.

It’s actually quite difficult to explain the plot of the film any further without spoiling it. Salt is a unique story in the modern cinema context, and probably for Cold War buffs as well (it’s no The Hunt for Red October). The film doesn't have too much substance, nor does it pretend to, and without relying, as Jolie has put it “on a female’s sexuality” to progress the plot. In fact, our heroine is portrayed, but not executed, as somewhat the opposite (not in looks though!).

The film is lent a lot of weight by Noyce and Jolie, but unfortunately seems to lack the punch that it could deliver, given the caliber people involved. The concept itself, however, is a great one, even if the plot premise may be a little tired and almost 20 years too late.

Make no mistake, this is an entertaining film, especially the chase sequences, with some of the visuals being amazing, but something is missing to make it an absolute must-see. It’s the perfect film for an escape to the cinema where too much thinking isn’t required.

STARRING

Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, and Chiwetel Ejiofor

DIRECTED BY

Phillip Noyce (The Bone Collector)

BUY DVD

DVD Not Available - see at cinemas!


WATCH IT FOR

The concept of a Bourne-esque spy film where a man isn't the lead interests you as much as it did us!

MISS IT FOR

If you don't like that feeling at the end of the movie that you've been suckered into paying for sequel and if you're a little over Cold War-style movies...

Watch the trailer


Editor review

A tired concept, but entertaining

Rating:
 
 3.0
Reviewed by triplew.me
July 25, 2010
 
Last updated: July 25, 2010
The plot belongs in the category of so many before it (why is it always Russians??), but is an entertaining Hollywood blockbuster, with a lot of what you see, is what you get. A fine performance from Jolie, who fills the expectations of the lead character, but delivers little else.
 
 

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Rating:
 
 1.0   (1)
 
 

Holi Jolie!

Rating:
 
 1.0
Reviewed by Hiba Ganta
September 24, 2010
 

Is it just me or is it true that as a film audience, we're pretending that Angelina Jolie can act or portray any other emotion other than femme fatale wannabe?

Nothing original about the film or actress and we kinda didn't appreciate the lack of authenticity about the spy-factors. Come on! Take a lesson from Bauer, Bristow and Bourne.

Cool is au naturel my friends, unlike those Jolie lips.