Salt
Screen Rant ’s Kofi Outlaw ReviewsSalt
As the tale go , Tom Cruise dropped out of doingSaltopting to do the filmKnight and Dayinstead , leaving a vacancy that was ultimately satiate by Angelina Jolie . We should all think to give thanks Mr. Cruise for doing us that favor .
Although , it ’s easy to see why Cruise might ’ve been trepidacious about doing a film likeSalt : the immediate comparing that springs to mind is the now - reveredJason Bournefranchise , which may have been too close for comfort ( for a leadingman , that is ) .
However , with Angelina Jolie taking over the lead roleSaltinstantly becomes a different animal : one that I would rank above the firstBournefilm , but somewhere below that dealership ’s ranking sequels .
Jolie asterisk as Evelyn Salt , a extremely - train undercover agent in the CIA ’s Russian Division . As the picture opens , we flashback to a dark time in Salt ’s liveliness , when she was trance behind foeman agate line and savagely tortured . It was only the lovemaking and allegiance of her beau - turn - husband Mike ( August Diehl ) that save her from hell . It also transformed the lady spy Panthera tigris into something of a CIA family cat , content to stay behind a desk pushing paper and enjoying her marital bliss .
Things get twist upside down the day a Russian deserter named Orlov ( Daniel Olbrychski ) come waltzing into CIA headquarters . Orlov is an sure-enough die - hard Russian weirdy , who warns Salt and her longtime boss and friend , Ted Winter ( Liev Schreiber ) , of a plot to assassinate the Russian president , who take place to be coming to New York City in edict to attend the funeral of the late - perish U.S. Vice President . make the Russian President assassinated on U.S. soil would of class push U.S./Russian relation to a breakage compass point , thereby inciting a newfangled war between the top-notch powers .
Orlov warn that the assassin who will carry out the hit is the prognostication of a top - secret Russian undercover agent program going back decades , one in which small fry were trained and brainwashed into being foresightful - terminal figure sleeper agents who were then assimilated into U.S. culture . He drops a bombshell when he inform the CIA operatives that the assassin ’s name is ( hold off for it ) … Evelyn Salt .
Of course Salt and Winter title that Orlov is blowing green goddess , but an NSA guard dog named Peabody ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ) is not so certain . As far as Peabody is concerned , Salt needs to be lock down and interrogated - but before any of that can encounter , Orlov makes a brazen escape and Salt - fear that her married man could be in danger - is forced to go on the run .
From there , the action - pack chase is on .
Salt is a 2010 action thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a CIA agent who is forced to disappear after she is accused of being a spy for the Russians. Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star alongside Jolie, with Phillip Noyce as director. Despite Salt getting mostly positive reviews, a sequel never came to fruition.
Saltwas written by Kurt Wimmer , who is famous for convoluted closed book / espionage picture likeThe Thomas Crown Affair , The RecruitandLaw Abiding Citizen . The marks of a good Wimmer book are the constant - yet - surprising twirl that are thrown at you ; just when you consider you ’ve guess an wanton answer , that " answer " is revealed to be reddish Clupea harangus and something truly unexpected break the motion picture into another gear . The espionage plot ofSaltis both filled with your common spy - movie convention ( double / triplex agent , perfidy , harebrained plans executed to perfection ) but also some sincerely surprising moments . It ’s nice to get a spy film that can still do that ( storm you ) .
Director Phillip Noyce ( who work with Jolie onThe Bone Collectorand handled spy - activity withThe Saint ) keeps this film moving at a frenzied stride that never let up . Within 20 minutes the primary players are all established , the secret plan is lay into movement , and from there it ’s a tight 90 - minute pursual as Salt tries to unveil the truth about what ’s go on . Again , it ’s overnice to have a cinema that pay back correct to the percentage point in less than two minute . Noyce also has a semi - seemly talent for practical activity scenes - there are a few misses ( a sequence with Salt descending an lift 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 mess of what elevates this moving-picture show above what it could ’ve been ( aBourneclone ) rests entirely on the talents of Jolie . Sure , it ’s hard to be non - colored when you ’re staring at one of the most beautiful women on the satellite kicking ass and taking names , but it ’s undeniable at this point that Jolie is one of the most gifted action stars ( and striking actresses ) in the movie diligence . wield a balance that is equal parts femininity and furiousness can be a almost - impossible task for an actress , and yet Jolie create jumping off a bridge onto a moving truck , or give up the asses of a elbow room full of tough hombre seem scary easy .
The support dramatis personae is also full of gift . Liev Schreiber - whose piercing stare and off - beat ticking can be painfully ill-chosen when miscast - gets a lot to work with in his role as Salt ’s boss , Ted Winter . The role is a polar one that could ’ve been the break percentage point of the motion picture if placed in the wrong hands . Thankfully the part went to Schreiber and he milks it for every sweet drib . Chiwetel Ejiofor - what ’s to say ? The guy is probably one of the most reliable actor working today and never fails to contain up his end , no matter how marginalized a role he ’s playing . His eccentric Peabody is a piddling one - dimensional ( the stern fuzz on the hunt ) , but as I suppose , he holds it up well and never lets the lack of deepness detract from the film . Other supporting player 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 sorry thing .
In unfeigned action movie fashion , Saltends on a note that plainly sets it up as a future franchise . Does it merit another chapter ? I consider so . In my opinion , there ’s elbow room aplenty for more female action stars in this male - dominate stadium - and no madam does it better than Angelina . I imagine that somewhere , Tom Cruise is smell his os frontale with the laurel wreath of his bridge player as he looks over the dismal box office returns onKnight and Day .
Salt is a 2010 action thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a CIA agent who is forced to disappear after she is accused of being a spy for the Russians . Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor carbon monoxide - sensation alongside Jolie , with Phillip Noyce as director . Despite Salt getting mostly cocksure reviews , a sequel never come to realisation .
