James Bond, Jason Bourne and now... Evelyn Salt?

Rating: 6/10 (29 July 2010)

Sorry, but I still prefer Charly Baltimore (Geena Davis) from "The Long Kiss Goodnight". She is still the ultimate kick-ass heroine for me, followed by Ellen Ripley from the "Alien" quadrilogy. But Angelina Jolie still can carry an action flick, and it certainly shows in this one. It's way better than her "Tomb Raider" movies.
From start to finish "Salt" is action-packed and leaves little to no time for dramatics. It's all about Jolie and the action. Briskly paced at 100 minutes and with perfect, fluid editing time flies by as you become entertained at what's happening at the screen, no matter how preposterous it is.
Preposterous? Why yes, there are some (note: SOME, not all) overdone moments, and some plot devices that are too far-fetched to be believed, but we're entertained too damn much that we never really notice. It's like the right movie to see after becoming mind-screwed by "Inception" (which isn't a bad thing); a Panadol for the brain.
Jolie is perfect for the role, showing cold emotion and ruthlessness in all her scenes, especially the action sequences. Kurt Wimmer who wrote the script did a nice job tailoring Jolie for the role. Liev Schrieber and especially Chiwetel Ejiofor are also great in the roles that they portray, with Ejiofor giving a tough performance which is the polar opposite of his worry-wart character in last year's "2012".
What I like about this movie is the constant guessing game the film presents to the audience. At times the film become too predictable, but at times it isn't. Kurt Wimmer weaves these in to his action-packed script that is filled with intrigue and danger, although I wish some of the twists were more original. The premise is nicely written and not overblown though, and that's a good thing.
Having said that, I must commend the filmmakers for getting this done (even Roger Ebert said it): bringing back the Russians as Hollywood's favorite villains. Ever since the cold war ended we've been bombarded with a variety of politically correct villains such as Arabs, North Koreans, South American crime lords etc. Russian villains has always been a favorite with Hollywood: just look at the early James Bond films and even "Rambo: First Blood Part II" and "Rambo III", mainly because of their dangerous nuclear capabilities, but in most of these films they're depicted in a cartoonish fashion. "Salt" not only brings the Russian villains back from the dead - it makes them believable.
Who else but Phillip Noyce can direct a film with such tension and fluidity with ease? I've been an admirer of Noyce ever since "Clear and Present Danger" and he is a great thriller director, and this film somewhat proves it, albeit a somewhat physically absurd one. Physically absurd because, as mentioned earlier, some of the action sequences are preposterous. But they're well-directed thanks to Noyce. The cinematography also frames the action well, with the cameraman NOT afflicted with Parkinson's (Is Hollywood returning to STEADYcam?) The music score by James Newton Howard suits the tension and rousing action of the movie perfectly, and the production design is classy,
In short, it's everything a popcorn action movie is. Don't have too high expectations and you'll be pleased. It's a fun ride from start to finish, and I recommend it for a fun time at the movies without too much overkill.
Entertainment value: 10/10
Overall: 7/10