"Salt" Blu-Ray Review - Writen by Anthony T

Salt
Year: 2010
Director: Daniel Reininghaus
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Stars: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 100 Mins











Film Synopsis:

Evelyn Salt is a highly respected CIA agent (Angelina Jolie), who’s life is turned upside down when she interrogates a Russian spy. During the interrogation, he outs her as a double agent that is going to assassinate the president of Russia. Concerned about her husband’s safety, Salt evades the authorities and goes on the run. With agents in pursuit of her, she using her covert operative skills to elude being caught.. She soon discovers that there are dark secrets to her own past and a devastating plot that is so powerful that it could change the course of history. “Salt” also co-stars Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Film Review:

“Salt” for the most part is your average Hollywood blockbuster, but it’s the direction that helps saves this film from a mediocre script. Philip Noyce, who has directed such films as “Patriot Games” and “Rabbit Proof Fence”, does a good job with the way that he directs approaches this film. You know that you’re a good director, if you can cover up the mistakes with your direction. That makes you forget about them. Noyce does a good job building tension with certain scenes, like the interrogation in the beginning of the film or when Jolie‘s character is on the run. By setting up the tension in the beginning of the film, the action comes off as more intense as the story goes on. It’s Noyce’s direction and ability to direct his actors that saves this from becoming a mistake filled film.

Speaking of the film’s screenplay, it’s the one thing that holds this film from being very good. Kurt Wimmer‘s screenplay has problems with the character development and the way that some of the flashbacks were structured. I had no problem with the Russian flashback sequence, as it coincided with dialogue in the opening interrogation scene. It’s the way that he handles Salt’s relationship with her boyfriend is what I have major problems with. That whole subplot doesn’t work with the film. You only see them as husband and wife for a couple of minutes, so there‘s no way to establish anything with the exception of a couple of flashback sequences that doesn't effectively establish them as a couple . When something happens to one of them, you don’t care. That what I didn’t like about and that should have been completely deleted from the story.

Another problem that I had with this screenplay, the final half-hour of the film was so predictable. You hate watching movies, where you think that this is going to happen and it does. The reason for that, the supporting character have predictable traits. You just don’t make evident, as it ruins the suspense. Wimmer make this character very evident that he might be a bad guy, by giving him predictable traits. To me, that ruins the surprise. This wouldn’t happen, if it was written by someone of the “24” writing staff. At least, that person wouldn’t make it so obvious.

Disc Review:

These features can be found on the DVD and Blu-Ray versions.

The film is presented in three cuts: Theatrical Version, Extended Version, and Director’s Cut. To me there wasn’t the need for three cuts, as they don’t enhance the movie to the point that it feels different.

First on the disc is the audio commentary track with director Phillip Noyce. This is one of the best features on the set. Noyce does a great job going into production of the film. He goes into great detail, how the film was created through various stories from the set and his own past into why he like directing these sub-genre type films. Noyce also gives his opinions on other things related to the film and the industry, which also is very insightful, He is also joined briefly by Effects Supervisor Robert Grasmere and Music Editor Joy Rand. They also offer good insight to the various aspects of their role on the film. Overall, a very good commentary track.

Next on the disc, “The Ultimate Female Action Hero”. It’s an eight minute featurette about Angelina Jolie and the character that she plays in the film. This feature is just your standard feature about everyone talking about the main character and the various things that she does in the film. It provides some behind the scenes details, but its pretty much a standard in terms of content.

The next extra on the disc is “Spy Disguise: The Looks of Evelyn Salt”. This five minute featurette highlights the various looks of the character. Not bad featurette here. It goes into the behind the scenes of the prosthetic looks that a CIA agent would go through and behind the scenes creation of those looks for the film.

After that, there is a Twenty plus minute Radio Interview with director Philip Noyce from KCRW’s “The Treatment” This is a very good interview that goes into his career and his life.

Now onto the Blu-Ray Exclusives.

The first exclusive on this disc, “The Modern Master of the Political Thriller, Phillip Noyce.”, a nine minute featurette on director Phillip Noyce. It goes into why he like directing these types of films. The featurette also goes into some stories, where the cast and crew of this film talks about what it is like working with him when directing. Not a bad featurette, but it stay confided with this film and that again makes it feel standard.

After that, “False Identity: Creating a New Reality”. This is where the extras on the disc starts to better. The featurette talks about the background and visual effects that were created in some of the film‘s scenes. It’s very nice featurette that gives you facts about how the effects were created, especially in some scenes where you wouldn't think that effects were needed. One of the best features of the disc.

“The Real Agents” is the next featurette on the disc. It’s a very interesting look at spies. This featurette contains interviews with former government agents about their time working in the spy business. Good featurette that provide background information that Noyce is trying to achieve with the spy aspects of the film.

“Salt Declassified: An Undercover Look at the Secrets of Making “Salt” is the final documentary on the disc. This half-hour featurette does a good job going into the making of the film with interviews with cast and crew. The featurette also does a good job going into the spy aspects with interviews from former government agents. It provides more detail into the story of the film.

“Spy Cam: Picture in Picture track” is the last major feature on the disc. This only works with the theatrical version of the film, It’s a nice little feature that you watch along with the film, as it’s very informative into the production of the film. It shows you, how some of the scenes and stunts were created. You also get more background information from the cast and crew to the making of the film. Overall, a very good feature to the disc.

The disc wraps up with trailers, MovieIQ and BD-Live.

Final Summary

“Salt” has a good concept and good direction from Phillip Noyce to save it, but it’s the film‘s screenplay that is flawed and at times too predictable. Still, it’s worth a rental for you spy film buffs.

Movie Rating: Three Stars
Extras Rating: Four Stars