Angelina Jolie is back in top gun-toting ass-kicking form in this action packed spy movie which is fast-paced edge of seat stuff, but unfortunately it gets a little lost in the chaos leaving many unanswered questions, but hey, maybe I’m just being picky.
Salt, directed by Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Patriot Games ), is a film which revives the espionage threats and the ‘reds in the beds’ paranoia that was prevalent during the Cold War. This film basically is a follow-on from that, the perception that there are still those who have not moved on from those days and who are intent on breaking down any alliance or co-operation that has been achieved since by means of planted spies, high profile assassinations, and threat of nuclear war. These are ingredients for a terrific spy/thriller movie, and the casting of Jolie as the main protagonist is a major plus as these types of roles have tended to be very male dominated. The only downside here is that some of the many twists and turns are left unexplained; we are still unsure of Evelyn Salt’s true loyalties and the reasoning behind the actions she takes, but I guess that is the whole point of the film, to keep you guessing.
The film begins in a North Korean prison cell where CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Jolie ) is being brutally tortured and questioned over the accusation of being a spy. It is clear from the beginning that Salt is tougher than she looks, managing to maintain her cover, until she is released, a feat made possible by her loving German boyfriend. Fast forward two years, the now married Salt is a highly respected agent within the CIA but her reputation is shattered when a Russian defector is brought in and questioned. Vassily Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski ) reveals that the president of Russia will be assassinated during the funeral of the recently deceased US vice president by a highly trained spy, named Salt, who had been placed in the US as a child to one day fulfill her mission when called upon.
Pleading her innocence Salt goes on the run in a desperate attempt to save her husband. The game of cat and mouse leads to Salt seemingly carrying out the assassination attempt and then on to The White House where one false move could lead to the outbreak of nuclear war.
Verdict: 4/5
