Screen Rant’s Kofi Outlaw Reviews Salt
As the story goes, Tom Cruise dropped out of doing Salt opting to do the film Knight and Day instead, leaving a vacancy that was ultimately filled by Angelina Jolie. We should all remember to thank Mr. Cruise for doing us that favor.
Although, it’s easy to see why Cruise might’ve been trepidacious about doing a film like Salt: the immediate comparison that springs to mind is the now-revered Jason Bourne franchise, which may have been too close for comfort (for a leading man, that is).
However, with Angelina Jolie taking over the lead role Salt instantly becomes a different animal: one that I would rank above the first Bourne film, but somewhere below that franchise’s superior sequels.
Jolie stars as Evelyn Salt, a highly-trained spy in the CIA’s Russian Division. As the movie opens, we flashback to a dark time in Salt’s life, when she was captured behind enemy lines and brutally tortured. It was only the love and dedication of her boyfriend-turned-husband Mike (August Diehl) that saved her from hell. It also transformed the lady spy tiger into something of a CIA house cat, content to stay behind a desk pushing paper and enjoying her marital bliss.
Things get turned upside down the day a Russian defector named Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski) comes waltzing into CIA headquarters. Orlov is an old die-hard Russian spook, who warns Salt and her longtime boss and friend, Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber), of a plot to assassinate the Russian president, who happens to be coming to New York City in order to attend the funeral of the recently-deceased U.S. Vice President. Having the Russian President assassinated on U.S. soil would of course push U.S./Russian relations to a breaking point, thereby inciting a new war between the super powers.
Orlov warns that the assassin who will carry out the hit is the prodigy of a top-secret Russian spy program going back decades, one in which children were trained and brainwashed into being long-term sleeper agents who were then assimilated into U.S. culture. He drops a bombshell when he informs the CIA operatives that the assassin’s name is (wait for it)… Evelyn Salt.
Of course Salt and Winter claim that Orlov is blowing smoke, but an NSA watchdog named Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is not so certain. As far as Peabody is concerned, Salt needs to be locked down and interrogated – but before any of that can happen, Orlov makes a brazen escape and Salt – fearing that her husband could be in danger – is forced to go on the run.
From there, the action-packed chase is on.
Salt was written by Kurt Wimmer, who is famous for tortuous mystery/espionage films like The Thomas Crown Affair, The Recruit and Law Abiding Citizen. The marks of a good Wimmer script are the constant-yet-surprising twists that are thrown at you; just when you think you’ve guessed an easy answer, that “answer” is revealed to be red herring and something truly unexpected shifts the film into another gear. The espionage plot of Salt is both filled with your usual spy-movie conventions (double/triple agents, betrayals, insane plans executed to perfection) but also some truly surprising moments. It’s nice to get a spy film that can still do that (surprise you).
Director Phillip Noyce (who worked with Jolie on The Bone Collector and handled spy-action with The Saint) keeps this film moving at a frenetic pace that never lets up. Within 20 minutes the principal players are all established, the plot is set into motion, and from there it’s a tight 90-minute chase as Salt tries to uncover the truth about what’s going on. Again, it’s nice to have a film that gets right to the point in less than two hours. Noyce also has a semi-decent talent for practical action scenes – there are a few misses (a sequence with Salt descending an elevator shaft is slightly laughable) but more often than not, the action in the film was exciting and engaging. On the whole, it worked for me.
A lot of what elevates this movie above what it could’ve been (a Bourne clone) rests solely on the talents of Jolie. Sure, it’s hard to be non-biased when you’re staring at one of the most beautiful women on the planet kicking ass and taking names, but it’s undeniable at this point that Jolie is one of the most talented action stars (and dramatic actresses) in the movie industry. Maintaining a balance that is equal parts femininity and ferocity can be a near-impossible task for an actress, and yet Jolie makes jumping off a bridge onto a moving truck, or kicking the asses of a room full of tough guys look scary easy.
The supporting cast is also full of talent. Liev Schreiber – whose piercing stare and off-beat ticks can be painfully awkward when miscast – gets a lot to work with in his role as Salt’s boss, Ted Winter. The role is a pivotal one that could’ve been the breaking point of the movie if placed in the wrong hands. Thankfully the part went to Schreiber and he milks it for every sweet drop. Chiwetel Ejiofor – what’s to say? The guy is probably one of the most reliable actors working today and never fails to hold up his end, no matter how marginalized a role he’s playing. His character Peabody is a little one-dimensional (the unrelenting cop on the hunt), but as I said, he holds it up well and never lets the lack of depth detract from the film. Other supporting actors like Daniel Olbrychski as Orlov and August Diehl as Mike Krause, Salt’s husband, all do well and elevate what could’ve been derivative fare to the level of an enjoyable ride. Oh, and acclaimed actor Andre Braugher even shows up for a cameo – never a bad thing.
In true action movie fashion, Salt ends on a note that obviously sets it up as a future franchise. Does it deserve another chapter? I think so. In my opinion, there’s room aplenty for more female action stars in this male-dominated arena – and no lady does it better than Angelina. I imagine that somewhere, Tom Cruise is smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand as he looks over the dismal box office returns on Knight and Day.
Our Rating:
3.5 out of 5
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I saw this movie with my father the other day and we are both crazy about it. He thinks it’s the best movie of the summer. It is easily second to Inception for me.
I think it is a very fun movie and Angelia Jolie definitely shows she can hold her own in an action movie.
DEFINITELY think they need a sequel (or 2).
My friend and I saw this a few days ago and well let me just say it was absolute FUN from the beginning to the end and it’s all thanks to Jolie, she was amazing!
This movie was great LOVED it!!!!
The box office for this film to date
indicates sequels may be off the table.
Robert – the film still has chance to get legs under it. Jolie is also in international superstar so the worldwide box office will boost it.
Considering what a Juggernaught Inception is right now, it was a pretty impressive debut I’d say…
It still does have a chance, I agree Kofi.
The film should succeed and make money.
However, will it do the kind of numbers that
launch a franchise is unclear and if I had to bet
I do not think so based on what it has done so far.
Wow, didn’t think this sounded good, but to say it is up there with the first Bourne? I may have to see it
Because he said its BETTER than the first Bourne I’m sold on it now! It’s Friday, might go check it out this evening after i bring home the bacon for the day that is.
I don’t get it. You say that this movie is superior to the first Bourne, but you only gave it 3.5 stars??
3.5 out of 5 is a very good rating and it’s certainly more deserving of such a rating than the very mediocre Sorcerer’s Apprentice which SR reviewed recently. Inconsistencies like that are why people get all worked up over the ratings.
a1d2h,
I used to be the only reviewer on the site but now we have others besides me reviewing films – that’s where the inconsistencies come from.
Vic
I know where they come from, I was ranting.
a1d2h,
Ah, gotcha. Well this is the right site for that.
I only mentioned it because in the past some folks haven’t noticed that two reviews they’re comparing were written by different people.
Vic
When you say Jolie can out-kick, punch and shoot male action stars, you mean the Matt Damons and Shia Leboofs of the world right?
Because in the Salt trailer she looks unhealthy. Waaaay too skinny. To me it looks like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Jean Claude Van Damme among others have bowel movements bigger in size than her.
That said, Kofi is a prettyo n the ball reviewer, so I doubt that Salt hasn’t earned its 3.5 stars.
So the fact that the lead is a woman instantly makes it better?
Why?
No, just the fact that Tom Cruise was not the lead.
Reads like a total Bourne/Manchurian knock off with a female lead…
^
One of the hottest, naw she’s too anorexic looking for my geeky fanboy tastes…
She should add some Salt to a Burger before she stars in the Karen Carpenter remake,,,
that’s exactly how I described it to someone, Bourne with a female lead. not a bad movie though, but not great
Hahaha 790
Well salt was pretty good,great film it had action and suspense……still like inception better lol
watch inception high and you will get the biggest mindfrak ever
The first Bourne is actually my favourite.
I’m shocked you think so low of the first Bourne film, I thought it was the best of the franchise.
Couldn’t agree with you more 790 I personally don’t find her all that attractive. She was much better looking earlier in her life. Her first few roles she looked decent nothing amazing though. Now she is a stick made of plastic. I’m wondering If any part of her is real other than her very showing spine from lack of food. Not to mention this disgusting tattoos.
Not interested in seeing the poor mans bourne identity with a girl. I love how people actually consider her believable for action. When I think action hero a skinny highly flammable girl who looks so fragile isn’t what I think of.
I wasn’t all that impressed by the first Bourne. It was a by-the-numbers spy film and I didn’t find the script that interesting.
I liked the sequels because I found the scripts and the twists to be much better. Just better spy movies if you no what I mean.
Guess we just have a differing opinion
Dan F,
I would prob rate the Bourne films like this:
Bourne 1 = 3 stars
Bourne 2 = 4 stars
Bourne 3 = 4.5 stars
How about you? I’m curious to see how you rate them.
For me,
Identity 4.5 stars
Supremacy 3.5 stars
Ultimatum 2 stars
The first Bourne is the only one to actually use the plot from any of the excellent Robert Ludlum books. I remember first reading them when I was about 8, they are fantastic stories, it always grated with me that the films decided to ignore them entirely in Supremacy and Ultimatum.
They were a missed oppurtunity in my eyes.
Did we see the same movie. While I can agree with you that “there’s room aplenty for more female action stars in this male-dominated arena”, I have absolutely no idea where you are coming from when you say “no lady does it better than Angelina”. Angelina looks sick the entire movie. I don’t mean the traditional “she needs to eat a sandwich” insult. Throughout the movie it looks like she is having a hard time carrying out the moves. She runs and fights like an old lady. I think if you were to watch this movie again you could very obviously see that the male actors in the fight scenes were holding back. I found this to be an action movie with a laughable premise and a non-action star as a lead. Without ruining the ending of the movie all I will say is it is implausible to say the least. I would say that the same reason that tickets sales are doing so poorly for this film shows how off the mark your review is. Quit being an Angelina fanboy and review her movies for what they are.
I gurantee you each and every one of you who complain about everything has no life,and if it wasnt for Vic and this site,you would be bored and lonely.Stop complaining and learn to suspend belief sometimes and enjoy a film.Especially Daniel F,all you do is complain all day long and you dont like anything.Seriously,internet nerds are the worst.A bunch of trolls
No trolling intended, I thought this was a genuinely terrible movie. I am perfectly able to suspend belief when I am watching a movie that warrants it (i.e.. Terminator, Batman, Last Airbender) but what I brought up was an action movie that was sadly lacking in competent action. I was also under the impression that this was a movie review site where people could “Rant” about their opinions. I have always liked this site because I can see disparate impressions of things not because “I have no life”. To insinuate that everyone who disagree’s with you is “bored and lonely” is just childish. If you disagree with one of the points I brought up about the film let’s discuss it, but let’s be mature about it.
Brian,
I can appreciate us having a different opinion of the film, but please don’t go so far as to suggest I wasn’t able to recognize what I was seeing. That’s a little insulting. I know what I saw and I know how I feel about it. How I feel about it is exactly what I wrote in the review.
“it’s hard to be non-biased when you’re staring at one of the most beautiful women”
Sometimes we want things to be good just because we really like the people who are in them. I have read quite a few of your posts many times you hit the mark… this time I feel you missed it. I apologize if I offended you.
It’s all good – we can’t always agree. I thought this film was good fun – 3 stars on its own, a half star more for Jolie’s performance (which I thought was strong – certainly better than Cruise in Knight and Day).
I agree with you 100% Kofi. Its interesting how people try to say someone else is a nerd or has no life because they share a different opinion from their own. Really doesnt make any sense to me at all.
Anyway, I also liked this movie and would definitely give it another star because Angelina was in it. Not because I like her physically (because I think she looks like a skeleton) but because I think she did a great job. Thats what I see!
Actually there are plenty of thinks I like and don’t complain about and I’ve got plenty of life thank you I’m content with it. My theory would be people like you who have nothing better to than to conolain about people they don’t agree with have no life. I’d make a list of things I like fir you but I can’t find my self to care enough about you and it would take to long.
Bourne – 4.5
Bourne2 – 3.5
Bourne3 – 3.5
I’m not a fan of Ultimatum at all. It seemed too chaotic and unfocused, the story was uninvolving and the franchises signature car chase was over in seconds.
Here’s how I would rate the Bourne films: Ultimatum, Identity, Supremacy. Idk why, but I just didn’t care for the second film that much.
Funny you mention the car chase Sam that’s one of the few things I liked about ultimatum. Personally I really really hate car chases.
OK, I know this is a Salt review, and I have bitched about thread hijacking before, but “superior sequels” in the Bourne franchise? I have to disagree.
The horrid camerawork that Greengrass and Damon put out are honestly the best movies I never saw. They’re almost as bad as Cloverfield’s horrendous excuse for “camera work”. I go to a movie to SEE it, and in both Supremacy and Ultimatum the action was horrendously filmed, horribly executed, and just an utter pain to watch. That they both defend the camera as an effort to make you “feel” the fight or the chase, is even worse. It makes me miss Sly and Ahnuld’s work in the 80s, and that’s saying something.
I hold up both movies as the epitome of what is wrong with “shakey cam”. As one of my friends once ranted “It’s like strapping the camera onto the back of a 3-legged armadillo, slapping it on the rear, and turning it loose on the set while the actors wave their hands at each other.”
You’re free to your opinion of the films, of course. If the (to me) atrocious camera work is removed, I’d say they were decent films, but I just can’t get past what should have been a film highlight in both movies being so utterly destroyed.
I think your views on Cloverfield are ridiculous. The whole point of the shaky camera was to show you a film where the lead character was the camera itself not the actors. How do you think a real encounter would look like filmed by a ever day person with no skill. Which is the whole point with how the film was shot. Closed minded movie watchers should just keep there opinions to themselves, you will never understand real movie making. The camera men are the unsung heroes of movie making and a movie like Cloverfield really showcased that. People like you just want to see the same old crap like Salt with the same old tired camera work where the guy just holds the camera and there are a billion split screen and transitions, which just means the actors cant remember a line past 2 sentences.
Saw this movie cuz nothing else was showing that interested me. It was ok, better than the Bourne series NEGATIVE GHOST RIDER. The CQC was kinda bland and no I wasnt expecting spinning wheel kicks all day long, but Matt Damon’s CQC was better done. This is a 3 star movie period, Jolies performance was not this grand thing some people make it out to be. Good twist at the end though, well 15 minutes before the standard and predictable ending.
What does CQC mean?
Close Quarters Combat, basically it’s the military way of saying hand to hand combat
I saw it today and I Liked it very much.
And they may not make sequels to Salt,but I would watch them if they did.
I was wondering when you guys would put up a review for this movie. A little late on this one I see. Anyway, great action great acting. Definitely needs to be a trilogy which I think can rival Bourne. Mostly because I believe Angelina is a better actress than Damon is actor.
How so is Jolie a better actor? I really don’t see this rivaling the Bourne Series. I think people are more infatuated with the fact that a woman is playing a role that is usually for a man to play, yet we’ve had our La Femme Nikita’s, Long Kiss Goodnight’s etc. As was stated before I agree with alot of preemptive biasness based on the fact that Jolie was in the role and the notion that she is just so hot (meh she’s ok). Yes I read your comment about how she looks like a skeleton so no need to go back over that again.
No Jolie is not hot IMO! I think she is very far from it. However…
Jolie’s acting skills far exceed those of Damon. Im not just talking about being an action actor I’m talking about the whole package. Damon speaks in the same voice and plays the same type character in every movie. You want to see range? Go see Jolie in Changeling, Girl Interrupted or hell even Gia.
And just an fyi, the Bourne series was great because of the story and script. You could easily replace Damon with Jason Statham and the movie wouldnt even miss a beat. It probably would even be better!
Matt Damon also has a wide Range, and too me Jolie speaks in the same monotone voice as u claim matt damon does. Please dont come at me with any more FYI business because it comes off in the wrong manner, especially when the FYI is based off of a personal speculation. Story, script and the actor’s ability to convey the emotion made the Bourne Series good. Jason Statham is ok I doubt it would have been better because it would just be Transporter all over again and only Transporter 2 was worth anything. It doesn’t take a martial artist to pull of decent martial arts on screen which Im guessing that is why u said Statham. refer to Chow Yun Fat for reference.
Saw Gia only because she was new to the hollywood scene and because she got naked in it (yeh I was sippin the kool aid at first). After Tomb Raider she pretty much got on my nerves so I I haven’t gone out of my way to see all of her films unless there was nothing else available to watch.
Matt Damon is the same In everything ? Rofl that’s the funniest line of BS ever. Yea Jason Bourne is exactly like his character in The Informant rofl. Oh and in Oceans 11 it’s the exact same performance as The Departed. Man I can’t think of many actors with charters as opposite as Damons. If it were not for his highly reconizable face I would of never guess he was in The Informant that performance is so far out there from any other he’s done.
Damon Is a great actor and Angelina is awful.
Everybody needs to stop speaking in absolutes – whether or not you like Damon and/or Jolie, it’s only YOUR OPINION.
Both have proven themselves to be stars of action and drama – both have been recognized for their talents both in prestigious fashion and with box office earnings.
Your the main one putting damon on the chopping block and putting Jolie on the pedestal. I’m not sure what movie you were watching with Salt but it was predictable, the action scenes where reused from previous movies, including Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise, there is a reason he turned down this role, the script just wasn’t that good, I could see the ending a mile away. For all those that are hating on Matt, I honestly dont think alot of you have seen all of his movies, he has tremendous range and is far better in a action role then his pal Ben Affleck. The Bourne movies are good in some points but nearly ever action flick Jolie is in are predictable and badly scripted, IE Tomb, salt, mr and mrs, and i give her credit where credit is due for wanted but the script was so horrible and so far off base of the comic it doesn’t count as a movie at all. Her best roles are drama she should stick to them, there are far better action ladies in hollywood. Plus who can’t believe that her legs would break if she jumped off a bridge onto a moving vehicle, she is skin and bones not even any muscle there.
her character is wanted was suppose to be black with short hair much like her look in hackers, which was her kind of role.
I really want to see this movie now, awesome review Kofi, got me ever more excited for this movie.
so this is a female version Bourne? as good as Bourne? really? this review might make me rethink it’s just another Angelina Jolie action movie…
I hated the movie.
I repented of having given money for this crap …
visit the following link for a better review.I read this review before watching the movie and the movie was mind blowing.
https://laurenamelia87.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/salt/
saw it. loved it.
angelina in the movie is a complete plus.
i would not have appreciated the movie as much if tom starred it.
action/drama, angelina nailed it for me.
i wasn’t even a fan of hers before this.
I just watched SALT. Can I have my 2 hrs back please? I mean, if you’re not even going to try and fill all the plot holes, why bother? Just tack a bunch of action scenes together…forget about everything else. I like a mindless movie as much as the next guy but come on.
I agree Larry although the movie was mercifully short! Just so far fetched it was laughable, the elevator scene? the leaping from fast-moving truck to fast-moving truck on the freeway? kicking the asses of several highly trained henchmen with guns with just a lipgloss? – just beyond far-fetched. We watched it last night as we thought that a movie with Angelina Jolie was bound to be mindless (these days) and got exactly what we paid for ie it was mindless, will be along time before I pay for another movie with her in it…