Salt
Sometimes I think it’s a good thing to just walk into a movie with no expectations. This past weekend we tried to go see Inception, but it was sold out, so ScottE wanted to try Salt. I figured it couldn’t be all that bad, so why not? And with that attitude I just had fun – it was an enjoyable popcorn movie that thrilled me.
If you haven’t seen the previews, here’s the plot in a nutshell. Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a long-time CIA operative specializing in Russian intelligence. One day a random Russian guy walks into the CIA building (which is disguised as a petroleum company) and says he has information to offer. Under interrogation from Evelyn he says that the Russians have planted sleeper agents throughout key positions in the U.S. And Evelyn just happens to be one of them.
Instead of hanging around to be asked questions, Ms. Salt goes on the run, determined to prove her innocence while the CIA chases her down. Is that her real motive? Can she trust anyone? And can we trust her?
This movie delivers on all you’d hope from a summer movie – exciting action sequences, quick camerawork, and twists and turns that keep you guessing. I admit I couldn’t figure out where the movie was going a number of times, and that alone was a novel concept. Salt was defying the stereotype of a predictable Hollywood blockbuster.
Jolie is what you’d expect – lovely with her pouty lips while she consistently kicks butt. She models enough different hairstyles to star in her own TV show on Bravo. Her foils are admirably played by Liev Schrieber (call me!) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (who always makes me think of Kinky Boots). The plot may be highly improbable, but the writing plows along at a pace that you couldn’t care less. And the ending is left open for the possibility of a sequel or a franchise.
On the whole this is a great escapist movie to cool the summer heat. I’m happy to give it a B+. And I have a name for the sequel! Pepper…
That’s the costume she was wearing when I saw her filming last year at the Archives metro. Liev was there too, and he was super-tall and super-hot.