Jolie makes ‘Salt’ a tasty flick (4/5)

Salt

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schrieber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action.
Running time: 1 hours, 40 minutes

You may think I’m not a big fan of action movies because car chases and explosions are much more likely to put me to sleep than they are to stir me into an adrenaline-crazed frenzy. Also, I have a standing disdain for any casting director absurd enough to cast Vin Diesel or Dwayne Johnson (formerly “The Rock” — because tough nicknames make up for a lack of talent). But truthfully, I demand a certain level of intellectual integrity that most mainstream action flicks seem to sorely lack (“xXx,” anyone?).

Thankfully, there’s no need for “Salt” to be put on anyone’s “guilty pleasures” list.

CIA officer Evelyn Salt (portrayed by an exemplary Angelina Jolie) finds herself accused of being a Russian spy and detained by her coworkers.

Desperate to find her German nationalist husband, Mike Krause (August Diehl), who has gone missing in an apparent link to the accusation, Salt employs her intelligence and fighting know-how to escape from her fellow agents and track her husband down, all the while proclaiming her innocence.

With Salt’s identity in question and a mountain of evidence piling up against her, Salt is tracked by fellow agents Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber), who has also grown to be a friend of Salt’s. But for a CIA agent, loyalty to country exceeds loyalty to friendship and her coworkers are forced to examine the facts.

Just as Peabody has no idea of what Evelyn Salt is capable, the audience, too, has no idea of what Phillip Noyce is capable. “Salt” is a heart-racing jaunt with fantastic action sequences and a plot that will keep you on your toes (or at least the edge of your seat) helped along by the moderately quick running time of an hour and 40 minutes.

Many reviewers have compared “Salt” to a mixture of the Bourne trilogy and the James Bond films.
But Jolie turns the action genre into her own plaything and absolutely owns every moment of her screentime.

I’ll admit that I predicted part of the ending about halfway through, but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment. I also think that most viewers will be left guessing ’til the end — there are plenty of twists to keep even the most seasoned moviegoers scratching their heads.

Angelina Jolie is the epitome of the female action star and she never ceases to amaze me. Her beauty, power and commanding aura have only grown with her.

But what was really excellent about her role as Salt is that her undeniable sex appeal is greatly toned down to a point where it’s hardly noticeable. And that allows you to focus on what’s actually going on rather than be distracted by the smoke-and-mirrors, peek-a-boo nudity that so often peppers action movies.

“Salt” isn’t entirely realistic and will leave you with a few questions when the credits start to roll. But it’s engaging and interesting and has some of the best acting so far this year.

Plus, don’t you just want to know if she’s a Russian spy or not?

4 of 5 stars