When Angelina Jolie makes her appearance on screen, chances are most people are interested in seeing in nothing but her kicking some major ass. And for those who relished in a good time of shoving popcorn in their mouth while watching her go gun-blazing in the action thriller 'Wanted' back in 2008, this one makes a sound, if slightly lesser option. This spy action thriller, helmed from director Phillip Noyce who brought his work to the screen with two Jack Ryan adaptations 'Patriot Games' and 'Clear and Present Danger', is just another one of your average trips to the land of Angelina Jolie wielding her action skills against the baddies as she fights her way through the sporadic blemishes in the script written by Kurt Wimmer. Unlike 'Wanted', this flick proceeds with a slightly more political agenda at hand, primarily the corruption uprooted from Russia since the beginning of their fallout with the United States during the Cold War. This film focuses on Evelyn Salt (played by Angelina Jolie), a CIA operative who is a living a peaceful life with her German boyfriend Michael Krause (played by August Diehl) and being held as one of the most respectable agents at her job. Her life comes crashing down when she is accused by a captured Russian agent Orlov (played by Daniel Olbrychski) of being a Russian sleeper agent with a plan to assassinate the President of the United States. With the law enforcement along with Agent Peabody (played by Chiwetel Eijiofor) pursuing her and her boss Ted Winter (played by Liev Schieber) the only one who fully trusts her, Salt must set out on a mission to clear her name.
For a movie set on exhibiting Jolie in her frenetic ass-kicking mode, this one delivers for the most part. Watching the actress step into action with a frenetic gun-blazing, bone-crunching convulsion makes the tasty icing on the cake most action junkies crave for. But those who make the decision of taking the ride seriously fall victim to witnessing the flaws in the film's attempt at establishing a solid political complex. Adding substance to the plot is a political theme involving international corruption and relations between the U.S and Russia which ties knowledge the historical threats of the Soviet Union during the Cold War back in the 50s. It also makes the unfortunate feat of occasionally convoluting the plot, especially when throwing in a few twists and turns that will take audiences by surprise or leave them scratching their heads. Regardless, anyone willing to escape these blemishes are in for a nice treat, and that witnessing Angelina Jolie shoot, punch, and kick were way through the story in a sleek James Bond-style. Tension is kept high and the action falls nothing short of beauty, especially when adding explosions, car crashes, and vehicles slipping to the equation. For what the movie offers, it does enough to meet the appetite of cinema-goers hungry for a blend of sleek action thrills with brainy political subtext to go in the mix.
Salt is an entertaining ride, if somewhat forgettable in terms of cinematic action mayhem. For those craving a sweet kick of action, this makes a fresh choice, though it nothing that reaches the peak of its genre. All that can be said is that fun and thrills is the best thing this movie delivers if nothing more.
