Normally I don't buy movies before I've seen them, but on the strength of numerous recommendations, I picked up Salt some time ago on sale. I finally got around to seeing it for the first time, and felt it held up to my expectations enough to earn a spot in The Archive.
For those who have not seen this movie yet, I will not be spoiling anything not given away on the box. Though I normally have no problem giving away plot details, I do think Salt is worth seeing, and half of the impact of the movie is the double twist (not a tweest, since M. Night Shyamalan is not involved here) at the end. There's plenty to talk about without revealing the ending, and plenty to recommend this movie. For one, it's a rare example of Angelina Jolie being picked for her acting and not (purely) her looks - in fact, I daresay this is one of the few Angie Jolie movies where seeing her mostly naked will turn you off.
Well, it might, provided you don't like seeing women beaten and tortured by North Koreans. That happy note is where the movie begins, setting the tone for a properly brutal action movie rather than a generic one. Jolie's Evelyn Salt is a CIA agent rather than a would-be Playboy bunny ninja in a leather catsuit, and looks the part in a professional button-down suit that never gets conveniently ripped. When she does change clothes, she's never turned into a cleavage-baring seductress for the sake of getting past the easily distracted menfolk in the movie and getting more real guys into the theater. What they will come for, though, is a solidly paced tale of double and triple crossing, as well as the renewal of Russia as a legitimate threat, in the movies at any rate; there are, after all, only so many movies I can see in a row with the Middle East as international antagonist du jour - if I'm going to be forced to watch United States Vs. The World, at least include other parts of The World.
Despite a temporary lull after the opening scene with happiness and smiles, the movie quickly picks up the pace and sends Salt out on a mission to clear her name. A man seeking asylum from Russia claims that Salt is a Russian sleeper agent, and because of narrative stupidity, the CIA instantly believes him. Salt escapes with a wound or three, as much a credit to her ingenuity as anything. From there, she plays Catch Me If You Can to the tune of gunshots and an increasingly complex conspiracy involving her questionable past and a plot to assassinate the Russian president. It's nicely timed and segmented, not lingering on either the action or the plot for long enough to bore the audience with one or the other.
Irritants, true irritants in storytelling or character or action, are few and far between. The 'bad cop' who immediately misjudges Salt as an enemy because of one man's remarks is fairly flat and uninteresting, even at the very end. He unthinkingly criminalizes her because of things she does to get away from the CIA pursuing her since it's his job to be That Unreasonable Government Agent from every action movie. I can forgive one stock character, though. Also, there's something of an Obvious Sequel Hook at the end, which is good or bad depending on your viewpoint. If they never make an official sequel, you only get it resolved in your own mind; if they do, I can only hope it will be as good as this movie. Either way, it was somewhat cheesy, but the 'important' stuff gets wrapped up regardless.
WATCH IF YOU LIKE: Strong central female characters, spy thrillers, seeing both Russians and cops getting kicked in the face
SKIP IF YOU DISLIKE: Plot in your action or vice versa, double reverse twists, a distinct lack of fanservice
THE FINAL VERDICT: Buy/Rent. I won't say this is the perfect spy movie, but it's certainly a pleasant surprise to see Jolie play someone capable - mentally and physically - without resorting to using sex as a weapon (she's not the worst offender for this by any stretch, but it's all too common for female spies - or females in spy movies - to be little more than centerfolds in disguise a la the Bond Girls). This movie warrants multiple viewings to keep track of the clues, or just one if you're looking for solid action.
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