Salt - C

In theaters. Rated PG-13, 100 minutes. Trailer.

Its been a long time since I was more disappointed by a film than I was by Salt. Directed by storied action director Philip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) and starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film was originally supposed to star Tom Cruise as the main spy, but Jolie came in when he left. She is Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent with a murky past and murkier motivations. When a surly Russian defector identifies "Evelyn Salt" as a sleeper Russian agent, Salt escapes to protect her husband and leads the US government on a wild chase. Click below for more on the hollowest movie of the summer:


She evades them skillfully and then moves forward with actions that don't clearly identify which side she really is on. The film follows several of these issues climaxing with a by the numbers resolution that was telegraphed from the first few minutes. And, really, thats it.

There is absolutely no story or character development in the film and my bitterness toward the film grew minute by minute. The writing relies solely on good old US/Russian animosity and that wasn't enough in 1985 and it certainly isn't enough now. The film isn't funny or insightful, only a series of about 4 long action scenes/chases. The film jumps so quickly into its first 20 minute action scene I almost thought our print of the film was missing the intended introduction. Jolie is disappointing scowler reprising pretty much every role she's ever had. The action sequences are mostly good, but several are unrealistic.

A lazy film with no story. At least in Lara Croft you expected it and Jolie didn't hide the goods. BOO HISSSSS