Decent action films need pace, excitement and suspense. And while all the gun-toting, gymnast-jumping and car-chasing has been done before, it’s thanks to strong performances and slick directing that Salt refreshes the action genre.
Usually a short plot synopsis comes here. But in this instance explaining the complications of the plot will ruin your enjoyment of the movie.
Putting it simply, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is a woman who is determined to save the world from nuclear war. Or is she determined to cause it? Is she a Russian agent? Is she a US spy? Or is she just a madwoman? I’ve already said too much.
Each revelation is an excuse for another chase as we follow Jolie through her own personal and professional turmoil.
At one point Salt is chained semi-naked in a North Korean dungeon having petrol poured down her throat. In another she’s jumping on moving lorries. And in one pivotal scene she’s sliding down lift shafts with ease. These are just a few of the obstacles she survives without giving away too much detail.
Due to the plot intricacies, Evelyn Salt becomes a tough character to play. But Jolie turns a challenging task into a delightful resolve.
The acting here is not as tough as her previous roles in, say, Changeling. But then that is a different genre altogether – and another which Jolie mastered.
This is a simple action film, and action films revolve around the tension of often preposterous sequences. Yet the skeleton is nothing without some flesh.
It is here that Jolie shines, fulfilling the role of femme-fatale/hero convincingly and entertainingly, becoming the perfect vehicle for the films’ absurd action sequences.
Often overlooked in the action genre is the soundtrack. Here, James Newton-Howard cannot be simply brushed aside. The score is so powerfully dominating it becomes the heartbeat for the action. Fast-paced percussion mixed with swelling strings creates an atmosphere of discovery and desperation – the two key elements to this movie.
Yet while Salt may refresh the action genre, it does not change the taste. Thus the usual criticisms of action films prevail here.
The actors are typecast on every level from the scores of vodka-drinking Russian spies to the hard-talking US President. At times it all seems a little too precise – a little too clichéd – for enjoyment.
There are no huge plot holes, but more rather many little ones. Salt almost becomes an example of a cinema colander – lots of little holes of which weight and logic slowly drains.
Luckily the movie rescues itself with a plot which keeps you guessing, but you cannot help but think the whole film is somehow pointless.
In one scene a background check is run on Salt (Jolie). Her file reveals that she’s been involved with various secret intelligence institutions and is a danger to anyone who stands in her way.
And so guess what she does for a job? She’s assistant director of the largest oil company in the US. When the action does accelerate, everyone questions the company. Yet no one questions the HR department and their apparent reluctance to check employees at interview.
Despite the holes, we forgive the film. Director Phillip Noyce has managed to create the best action film for a while. Slick camerawork, strong dialogue and compelling storytelling keep the action pulsing faster and faster throughout.
Originally, Tom Cruise was cast as the lead. However he saw similarities to the Mission Impossible series and was replaced by Jolie.
Cruise made a good point in his departure. Salt is similar to the Mission Impossible series, the best bits of a Bond film, and even the Bourne franchise.
Yet that does not matter. Salt takes all the dire points from terrible action flicks and turns them into solid sequences. Couple this with a few borrowed ideas from successful thrillers before it and you’re on to a winner.
The Cruise-Jolie transition could have become a nightmare, but it was ultimately a good choice to rest with Jolie as it answers the most pivotal question surrounding the mysterious character.
Who is Salt? She is Angelina Jolie. And while the patchy plot revives cliché and predictability, it’s Jolie’s embodiment of the character which makes Salt the greatest adrenaline shot this year.
4 out of 5 stars