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
Academy Award® winner Angelina Jolie (Best Supporting Actress, Girl, Interrupted, 1999) stars as a CIA agent on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy in the international box-office action-packed event SALT. The Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray™ and DVD, debuting on December 21 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, will include three versions of the film including the original theatrical film plus two additional unrated extended cuts not seen in theaters with two alternate endings. A Theatrical Edition DVD will also be available. Extensive bonus materials include filmmaker commentary and multiple featurettes that take viewers behind-the-scenes on the adrenaline-pumping thrill ride of the year. SALT will be available on Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray™ for $34.95 SRP, Deluxe Unrated Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP and Theatrical Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP. Synopsis: As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: “Who is Salt?” Directed by Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games), SALT also stars Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Talk to Me) and was written by Kurt Wimmer. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash produced, with Ric Kidney and Mark Vahradian serving as executive producers. DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Features Include: § Filmmaker Commentary § “The Ultimate Female Action Hero” § “Spy Disguise: The Looks of Evelyn Salt” § Radio Interview with Director Phillip Noyce Exclusive Blu-ray™ Bonus Features Include: § “SALT: Declassified – An undercover look at the secrets of making Salt” § “The Real Agents” § “The Modern Master of the Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce” § “False Identity: Creating A New Reality” § movieIQ § Spy Cam: Picture in Picture Track - Discover how the stunts and action were created. With pre-visualization sequences, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes interviews with filmmakers, cast and crew you can uncover the truth behind Salt! SALT is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. Runtimes are as follows: Theatrical Version – approximately 100min Unrated Director’s Cut - approximately 104min Unrated Extended Cut - approximately 101min
You know what? The summer 2010 movie season may very well go down in history as the summer of the preposterous action movie. We’ve already had The A-Team with four guys trying to steer a parachuting tank with its turret by firing rounds out of it, then there was Tom Cruise who could do just about anything except take the time to go to the bathroom in Knight and Day (Jack Bauer had that problem too), and even the brilliant Inception employs a concept which is not at all possible (unless the military is trying to keep it a secret). And now we have Salt with Angelina Jolie which runs very rapidly through a river of plot holes and leaps in logic, and it’s just as much fun as the films I previously mentioned. Thanks to director Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Rabbit Proof Fence) who keeps things moving at such a fast pace, there’s not much time to sit back and count all the inconsistencies. All we can do is hang on to the edge of our seats and revel in the slam bang action which has brought to us without an overuse of CGI effects.
Speaking of Tom Cruise, he was almost set to star in this film, but he feared that the character would be too close to Ethan Hunt from the Mission Impossible movies. In the end, I think Knight and Day was the better movie for Tom as we desperately wanted (and needed) to see him poke fun at himself, and that’s in spite of its disappointing box office performance. Salt is a much more serious action thriller, and its tone is not as light as you might suspect. Coming out of it, I was convinced that this role was tailor made for Jolie. There may have been several other actresses who could have pulled this role off just as well, but who comes to mind quicker than the star of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Wanted and the Tomb Raider movies?
Angelina Jolie plays CIA agent Evelyn Salt who is just about to head on home to her loving husband Mike (August Diehl) who loves to study spiders (KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ME AND MY STEP NIECE!!!) when she and her partner Ted Winter (Live Schreiber) suddenly get the opportunity to interrogate a Russian defector. During this interrogation, the defector whose name is Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski) says that soon a highly trained Russian agent will assassinate the Russian President when he visits the
Evelyn Salt is a mixture of both Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer, and this is especially the case in how she manages to evade capture or break free from highly trained agents and officers on more than one occasion. The movie really plays on Jolie’s strengths throughout, and off the kind of person the media has perceived her to be. I say this because over the years she has been treated like some seriously deranged human being who would have sex with her bother instead of a regular person which she is if anyone actually bothered to notice. Jolie plays on these perceptions throughout Salt as we watch her in relentless pursuit of those who wish to capture and question her, and as she changes her appearance to get closer to her objective. Granted, a lot of women don’t look much like Angelina Jolie which makes her more noticeable than most, but she does make us believe she can pull off one plan after another.
I also liked the fact that by the time she comes to meet the man that will soon become her husband that you can believe she has been fully trained to all she can do. A lot of movies would almost have you believe that these characters were born with these skills and have perfected them since they were toddlers. Going back to Knight and Day with Tom Cruise, you kept wondering how his character got all his training in as he was growing up. It seemed too good to be true that he could do all the things he could do. With Jolie, you never doubt her even as the movie becomes more ridiculous by the minute. Salt is not on some ego trip and showing off just how smart and hot she is (like she really needs to anyway).
There are so many twists and turns throughout Salt that it shamelessly flaunts its illogic plot developments throughout to where we give up trying to figure it all out. Compared to many of Phillip Noyce’s other movies, this is easily the most kinetic action movie he has made to date, and that’s even compared to his Dead Calm which introduced Nicole Kidman to the world. You could complain about how things don’t add up, but Noyce never lets the pace of the movie lag for a second, and we never find the time to sort through the plot and characters while we are watching. For other movies this would be a major hindrance, but for Salt it works to its advantage. You’re too thoroughly entertained to even care if this film is messing with our head one time too many. Well, at least it’s not like your average M. Night Shyamalan movie where he tries to outsmart us long after we have begged him to stop.
In addition to the talents of Ms. Jolie, you also have the great Liev Schreiber as her partner and friend Ted Winter. Many consider Liev to be this stone-faced actor who wears the same expression in each and every movie he does, and that it makes him bad actor as a result. But that’s probably because they have never seen him act onstage, and he is beyond extraordinary with every role he takes on. Schreiber holds his own against the formidable Jolie as he desperately works to protect his friend from those who would just make her disappear upon their suspicions alone. As Ted Winter, he knows there is something fishy going on regarding Salt, and that the accusations are just that. You root for him as he gets closer and closer to getting a full idea of who she really is.
You also have Chiwetel Ejiofor (I will be able to pronounce his name someday) as Peabody, an agent above Winter who pursues Salt relentlessly. He’s the character you want to shake around and slap in the face so that he can see how wrong he is about her (or how wrong we think he is). Chiwetel has done great work over the years, most notably in Stephen Frears’ Dirty Pretty Things, and he gives more than your average one-dimensional government official who would foolishly believe a Russian defector over a loyal agent from the CIA.
We also have to give Phillip Noyce much credit for not relying on a plethora of CGI effects in Salt. When you see Angelina Jolie clinging for dear life on her apartment building from at least 12 stories up, that’s no green screen she’s hanging over (get ready for some serious vertigo). It all reminded me of how good Live Free or Die Hard was from a few years ago. That one tried to make the effects as real as possible as the filmmakers came to recognize that the typical film going audience was no longer easily fooled by effects generated by a computer. Sometimes it’s not even better than the real thing!
If there is one seriously massive complaint I have against Salt, it’s in regards to Andre Braugher’s role as the Secretary of Defense. Those of you who know me well are fully aware of what a huge die hard fan I was of the NBC cop show from the 90’s called Homicide: Life on the Street. Andre’s work on the show was beyond brilliant, and not many other actors can manipulate people through such theatrically volcanic explosions of anger. Furthermore, let us not forget his work in movies like Glory where he made the first of many memorable impressions. But in Salt, he is relegated to a role where he barely has any lines and is given far too little to do. What gives?! You want to cast Andre Braugher in a movie, then you give him a big part which is in tune with his well known talents. Stop giving him roles that could be played by anyone! It’s an insult I tells ya!!
Maybe Salt is more fun that it deserves credit for. But along with a pulsating score by James Newton Howard and some tight film editing by John Gilroy and the well regarded Stuart Baird, the movie gives you a good dose of adrenalin pumping fun that we don’t always get on the silver screen. For many, this summer movie going season has been seriously underwhelming, so we have to be thankful for anything that really enthralls us like this one. Nitpick all you want about the events in Salt, it’ll still keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.
***½ out of ****
