Hailed as the female equivalent of James Bond and Jason Bourne, Salt has had movie fans hooked during production. Boasting the acting talents of Angelina Jolie, Liev Schrieber and many more, Salt promised to be a great summer thriller.
The Serious: 9/11
It doesn't disappoint. If you want a clever and compelling thriller, Salt is one for you. While keeping to some well known genre traits, Salt is full of surprises that will keep you on your toes the whole way through.
Salt is definitely one to watch. Contrasting with the espionage comedy of Knight & Day, Salt is a gritty, down to earth thriller that uses an intelligent story that uses a complex character to drive itself. We're presented with a heroine, but constantly have to question whether or not she is one. Like the poster tag line, we wonder, who is Salt? As a stand out woman in a male dominated movie arena, Salt earns her place in the hall of espionage fame as a severe force to be reckoned with. James and Jason are probably more than a little anxious.
As said, Salt is driven by character and a smart, twisty story. Following the characters, your morals get thrown around, every move they make is questioned by your mind and the quality of the acting is superb. Angelina Jolie is Evelyn Salt. A statement that seems obvious after looking at the poster for more than a nanosecond, but i mean it. At no point in the film will you doubt Salt as a character, or Jolie as an actress, instead being enthralled and impressed by the performance. Make a bet with anyone who said Jolie cannot act. You'll win. At one point early in the film, she proves just how much ability she has, in one look so full of love and unbound affection you half expect a huge heart to jump out of the screen. It's so emotional, yet needs no words to be so. Salt is an ace character, one that Jolie should be proud of while carrying the story on her shoulders.
Not all is left to the actress though. Excellent support comes from Liev Schrieber, who continues a number of enjoyable and well executed roles. Ted Winter (Schrieber) Salt's colleague at the CIA, is as as shadowy as the lead, making for a sublime story route that holds shockers in store for the minds of the audience.
As for improvements, Salt doesn't need many. It's got a great story, characters and action, but you do have to be on the ball to keep up at times, or risk being left behind by the whirlwind story. However, it's a whirlwind worth braving, for the reward of something cool, clever and intelligent enough to make you go "Wow!" as the credits roll. You'll wish you were as sneaky and gutsy as she is by the time you walk out.
The Fun: 7/11
While Salt is a gripping and intense movie, it does have some all out action sequences to astound the mind. Plenty of sleek moves and sequences show Salt herself as a deadly force, and give gentleman spies a lady to reckon with.
While the action does come thick and fast, it's also clever, rather than a big adrenaline romp such as The Expendables. While a big romp is not at all a bad thing, Salt has more brains behind it, the killing depicted on screen being cold and methodical, with very little emotion behind most of the time. This calculated slicing and dicing makes for some decent stuff to watch, but also keeps things at a (slightly) more grounded level than other franchises.
Action aside, the movie chucks intelligent thrills at you, but if you don't stay alert, you might miss something vital, and all the slick punches in the world won't cure that niggling in the back of your mind or the frustrating lack of understanding. I know it sounds picky, but if its awesome action you want, with little regard as to why, i refer you to The Expendables review. Salt does have feats of spectacle to offer, but if you find yourself wavering, or decide concentration isn't what your after right now, i suggest the cheaper price of renting the DVD.
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Until next time,
Zooming Out.
To Infinity and Beyond
