The answer is a big fat HECK YES. Salt is one woman who I would want to have in my corner in a bar fight. Let’s just say she kicks ass in a stylish way and you don’t want to make this woman angry. I could not see anyone else perfectly cast as Angelina Jolie in this movie. But before I get ahead of myself let me explain the premise so you can at least see where I am coming from.
Evelyn Salt (played to strength by Angelina Jolie) is a CIA agent who with her partner Ted Winter (played by Live Shreiber when are the studios going to notice they have such a great untapped talent in this man) are on their way home only to be summoned back by their fellow officer Peaboy (Chiewetel Ejiofor) as they have brought in a Russian man by the name of Orlov who believes he has some interesting information for the CIA. As both partners stroll back in to interrogate this man it is put on Salt’s shoulders to question Orlov. As he starts telling her his background story we learn that he is apparent is involved in the KA 12 Program in Russia. The KA program is apparently where they have recruited Russian children to learn the skills they need in becoming spies. After finishing their training they are placed in American society in government positions only to one day be notified of their mission to bring down the American government. Apparently they have been doing it for years as he comments that it was one of their own who killed JFK.
As Salt listens with lack of enthusiasm and turns to leave the interrogation room, Olva explains that someone is going to kill the Russian President. As her ears perp up she asks if he knows the name of the spy to which he replies “Evelyn Salt” to which she replies, “I’m Evelyn Salt” And here is where the fun starts. Is she bad is she good? Who really is Salt? I am not going to spoil it but my gosh it is a fun 100 minutes of cinema as she races out of the interrogation room to prove that she is innocent or is she (mwwhhhaaaa)?
I can’t speak highly of Angelina in this movie. Apparently, it was going to be Tom Cruise and Salt was going to be a male but due to his sudden decline as a box office draw (he only has himself to blame, can annoying say couch jumping and mid life crisis) the script was changed. I can’t imagine anyone else playing Salt. Yes we have seen Angelina be the tough chick in Tomb Raider and Wanted. Yes we know her personal back story where she liked to play with knives as a child, and yes she has more kids that would make Octomum blush, but the woman does make the character Salt her own and lets us see that she is one kick ass chick. There is something Angelina can do with her eyes (I just can’t explain it, watch it and you will to notice it) that she can be fun and innocent and then turn dark and embrace her kick ass persona without any emotion on her face except through her eyes. I have to say Angelina has something and we all know it. And so to does Philip Noyce the director. Working for the second time since the Bone Collector, Noyce lets Angelina embrace her character and lets her have fun in the world of this spy thriller. The man sure knows how to direct action as we have witnessed in Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The Saint. The action comes hard and fast. Even though many of the scenarios are completely ridiculous (come on she doesn’t even break a bone, in one of the most breath taking car chase scene) you can’t help but lap it up.
By keeping the action fast and the twists non-stop (you will probably get a bit confused I sure did) the director keeps your attention firmly glued to the screen. Salt to me makes for a fun new heroin to join the action genre. But is she good? Is she bad? I can’t tell you that at all. All I can say is Salt to me is definitely not bitter. 8/10
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