Salt (Sony Pictures)
Needs A Little Seasoning
Angelina Jolie looks great in her new film Salt. She also does all the action stunts required of her. Still the movie needs some additional seasoning, a little spice to make things more interesting. Salt ends up being a thriller that holds your attention but never captures your mind.
The movie opens with CIA Agent Evelyn Salt (Jolie) being interrogated in North Korea. She is later released in a trade of some kind. Her future husband Michael (August Diehl) has helped arrange the swap. When she gets back to the States, Salt and Michael get married and she continues to work for the CIA.
One day a Russian defector arrives at the CIA Agency and gives up the name of Evelyn Salt as a Russian spy. Salt denies the charges but her bosses, including her friend Ted Winter (Live Schreiber), agree she should be interrogated. Salt escapes and the rest of the film is about her trying to prove her innocence.
There are chase scenes galore including a spectacular one where Salt is on top of a huge truck speeding down the highway. She jumps from the top of it to another truck and then another one. That is enough to get the adrenaline rushing big time.
Angelina Jolie is as beautiful as ever and she has the lithe strength that the part requires. She is one of only a few female actresses who could star in such a physical role and be believable. Still you want to see more of her character beneath the muscle and mind. There needs to be some spark of warmth.
The problem with the movie, aside from a few questionable plot structures, is this lack of emotion Salt draws from the audience. There is no emotional connection at all even between her and her husband for whom she professes so much love. This coolness and reserve on her part saps the heart out of the film. You get all the thrills but you dont really care what happens.
Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor are competent in their roles as the men pursuing Salt. Diehl adds nothing as the husband. Hunt Block makes us take notice of his role as the President.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
Angelina Jolie can attract an audience no matter what role she is playing, but Salt will not be one of her bigger hits. The main character is cool, calm and collected. Put a too in front of each off those traits and you will know what is wrong with the film. It has enough action to be sure, and for some that will be enough, but a little seasoning of emotion would have made for a better movie.
I scored Salt a peppered 6 out of 10.
