Jolie wins the summer spy race.

Rating: Null/10 (23 July 2010)

The interrogation of a Russian defector at the beginning of Salt (in the trailer as well) sets the rocking premise that Angelina Jolie's character, Evelyn Salt, could be a double agent working for the CIA but an operative of the old Soviet Union trying to re-emerge in the post-cold war world. Sleeper spy syndrome is at work here.
The stars are running this summerâ€”DiCaprio from the law as he plies his corporate espionage craft in Inception, Tom Cruise from his own spy agency as they brand him a rogue, and Jolie as we can see from the above. Must be something in the summer air or in their careers as they move up in age, Jolie 35, DiCaprio 36, and Cruise a healthy but aging 48.
And the winner: Jolie for pure fantasy heroics, Lara Croft on steroids with an audience willing to accept the most outlandish setups and screw-ups in the name of summer escapism. She and her doubles jump from truck to truck on the freeway to far outdo Cruise in his contrasting minimalist athletic excesses with moving vehicles.
What Salt is able to do in two hours of non-stop shenanigans is criminal if you have an overactive left brain; if your right brain kicks in, you'll enjoy her unbelievable dispatching of every trained agent trying to stop her from assassinating the presidents of Russia and the USA. Dare I suggest to you, very bright reader, that no way in heck will Jolie be cast as a Russian spy threatening the lives of the most powerful leaders in the world. Enough said.
Yes, although it's all beyond absurd, I was delighted to see another female hero kick the hell out of men (Lisbeth, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, does a commendable job on misogynists). In fact, let me declare once again Ms. Jolie the leader of the pack in cool attitude and astonishingly good looks, and at an old 35.