Fantasy, Not Action

Rating: 3/10 (29 December 2010)

You know, I know that the movie makers here know that the Russians are no longer enemies. So when they try to make them the bad guys these days it rubs me the wrong way. It's just unrealistic.
And that's not the only unrealistic thing in this movie. The violations of physics (as Ebert says) finally got to me to be too much. Jumping from a semi-truck on one overpass down to another on the lower level and coming out with no injuries jars me when I watch it. This is not Spiderman here, it's supposed to be "real". But it's not. It's just unrealistic.
Nevermind the fact that there hasn't been a funeral for a American VP since, well, since a long time, I can live with the invented history. But to have an attempt on the Russian president without an historical background is too much for me. It's just unrealistic.
And having the main character being what she is, as we soon find out, is also just unrealistic. A mole in the CIA? For sure. But not like this. I expect a mole these days to either do it for the money or for Islam. This is neither. It's just unrealistic.
And the romance between Salt and her husband? No spark. Maybe I'm trying to compare it to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where the romance had wonderful spark - no wonder, as they were probably not acting there. But still I expect to like the couple, and frankly, I was indifferent. It's just unrealistic.
And after being chased and injured (or not?), Salt is finally in custody in a helicopter above the Potomac in the winter. She jumps out, and lands in the water. No injury, no hypothermia. Quickly swims to shore and runs - soaking wet - did I mention she's dressed like it's June outside? I'm sorry, when I saw that, I just lost it. It's just unrealistic.
I can go on and on.
I know, I know, it's just a movie.
But I want to buy into the movie, I want to emotionally invest in the characters. And when there is so much that goes against common sense, I just can't do it.
It's just unrealistic.