Who is Salt?

Rating: 7/10 (30 July 2010)

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?" (Columbia Pictures)
SALT is preposterous, absurd, and unbelievable. The filmmakers know this very well. Yet, it's an extremely well made action flick. Unlike INCEPTION, SALT never tries to be groundbreaking cinema. It's never too ambition and wrapped in its own world. It never tries to be anything more than what it really is: A highly enjoyable action film. AKA: The perfect summer movie. Because of this, SALT succeeds in almost every level.
Star Angelina Jolie actually brings the film on another level. She's just very impressive in her role, bringing an emotional depth for her character and doing the terrific stunt works throughout the film. She does it all here, leaping from the tops of vehicles driving at high speed on the highway, making an exploding device with a fire extinguisher and some household chemicals, and running with no shoes on from one place to another, just to name a few. She's clearly THE female action hero. Liev Schreiber doesn't seem to have much to do but he's as good as always. I also liked seeing Chiwetel Ejiofor in more films because he's a unique actor.
The film is also filled with many chase scenes that are done really well that is sure to pump up your adrenaline. The action sequences are surprisingly inventive and ingenious as well, the soundtrack by the brilliant James Newton Howard accompanying it with skill and playfulness. Let's not forget the light use of CGI and camera shakiness, making the experience a whole lot better than it already is.
Overall, SALT shows us that Angelina Jolie is still the great action star that she always was and that action flicks can still be well made. While it won't change the world, it's a very entertaining summer action film that is sure to result in the same reaction the condiment of the very same name produced.