MTV’s Kurt Loder: Jolie’s ‘Salt’ Has Plenty of Action, Lacks Style
by HollywoodlandThere’s no law that an action movie has to make sense — it can just be all action. “Salt” is a demonstration of this. However, the best action movies consist of more than nonstop frenzy, and they can sell their wildest implausibilities — James Bond with his jet packs and underwater tuxedos, Jason Bourne still alive in the sea after taking two bullets in the back — with a spirited blend of style, pace and personality. In its indifference to such elements, “Salt” is a demonstration of how important they are.
The story does kick off with a clever hook. Top CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is in the middle of grilling a Russian intelligence operator named Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski) when he tells her that the Agency has been infiltrated by a Russian mole, whose ambitious mission it is to destroy the United States. Salt asks Orlov the mole’s name. “Salt,” he says.
Two of Salt’s fellow agents have been watching this interrogation, and they’re naturally startled. One of them, Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber), says he’s certain that Evelyn can’t be a mole. The other, however, a hardass named Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor), isn’t so sure. Salt herself doesn’t stick around to explain — she takes off. All kinds of pursuers leap into action, and as the chase proceeds, we marvel at her ability to dispatch hordes of heavily armed soldiers (all terrible shots) and her easy access to guns, chemicals and high-end designer clothing. (At one point in her flight, attired in a flowing fur-trimmed cape and matching hat, she looks like a fugitive from a fashion shoot.) She has also brought along a venomous pet spider. Well, her husband’s pet spider.
Her husband’s name is Mike (August Diehl), and he’s an arachnologist so esteemed, we’re told, that he has “unlimited access to the border areas of North Korea.” This would explain why he was on hand when Salt was freed from the North Korean prison where we’d seen her being beaten to a pulp in her underwear at the beginning of the movie. Unfortunately, it doesn’t explain what the Norks have to do with the story, which seems to be nothing.
Read the full review here.
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18 Comments
I enjoy Loder's reviews because it seems like he approaches movies the same way as I do. I had hoped this film was more like Mr and Mrs Smith, albeit w/o the Mr. Jolie is good at adding in humor and sex appeal to her roles, I cannot fathom them possibly wasting that opportunity. I probably will go see it, but it sounds like the follow up film may be some time coming.
Shoot! Another 'all sound, no soul' picture. Like there aren't enough of them out there already.
But I'm still going to see this film because I like Angelina Jolie. Sean Penn, Polanski, Oliver Stone, etc. – are you idiots listening? I'm going to see this film because the actress doesn't call me names on talk shows. Yeah, that's why her films hear cha-ching at the box office while yours hear only the sloshing noise as they swirl the toilet bowl. (Hey, Stone? How's the sound of that $138,992 gross on your latest hitting the ears?)
I'm throwing in with the pro-Jolie camp. She's an incredible beauty, I have immense respect for her Dad and his outspoken patriotism and Ms. Jolie has been a tireless advocate for kids in horrible places like Africa and Haiti and various cesspools worldwide.
I believe she has also spoken out for 2nd amendment granted gun/self protection RIGHTS. Brains, beauty AND she's a pistol packin' Mama? Count me in.
Angelina Jolie Supports Gun Ownership:
“. . . I bought original, real guns of the type we used in ‘Tomb Raider’ for security. Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one . . . If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I've no problem shooting them . . ."
AMEN Gorgeous, amen.
Yummmmmmy – Lara Croft in "Tomb Raider" Wowwy-Ka-Zowwy! nice photo @
http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/angeli...
Loder is a very good reviewer; always worth reading.
will go see just because it's one Hollywood star that grew up and did something wonderful with her life….her life style may not be traditional, but she's done great work with kids, both hers and others…
Well, I gotta say that I had high hopes for Tomb Raider, and I was sorely disappointed. These days, I kind of have a hard time believing that a Jolie who MAYBE breaks a hundred pounds is gonna be able to pull of some of the physical derring-do required in such a role. All the bad-ass training in the world is not going to help an agent with the bone and muscle mass of a sparrow. But hey, it's a movie. I'll probably check it out.
"Salt" is exactly the kind of "no-sense" action-frenzied movie I'm not interrested in seeing, won't spend any money on seeing, and won't recommend to anyone else. I can blame that non-desire on the author of this article and his superb synopsis. This movie seems to emulate all those other "action" movies targeted to attention-deficit-ridden and attention-challenged teens whose sense of time and suspense is measured by the immediacy of text-messaging and slam-bang smash 'em up video games. Whatever happened to adult fare? What a boring, ennervating culture rational, productive, and accomplished adults must endure.
I left this comment about this movie review:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2...
kenrick66 60p · less than 1 minute ago
"Salt" is exactly the kind of "no-sense" action-frenzied movie I'm not interested in seeing, won't spend any money on seeing, and won't recommend to anyone else. I can blame that non-desire on the author of this article and his superb synopsis. This movie seems to emulate all those other "action" movies targeted to attention-deficit-ridden and attention-challenged teens whose sense of time and suspense is measured by the immediacy of text-messaging and slam-bang smash 'em up video games. Whatever happened to adult fare? What a boring, enervating culture rational, productive, and accomplished adults must endure.
You had me at Angelina Jolie in her underwear
SPOILER
Saw the movie last night. I'm glad I did because just as I withhold the price of admission from the Socialist America haters, I try to support actors et al whose politics I don't know (their job is entertainment not politics).
Angelina might be one of the worst offenders, but she's smart enough to keep her opinions to herself and let her acting do her talking.
That said, the problem is writing. It doesn't make a lot of sense. It would have been a better film had it been more mental and less physical. The twist was excellent. Didn't see it coming. But why not have her figure it out rather than kick it out. Further, if she's one of the good guys, she knocked off a lot of innocent people on the way to doing good. That's not acceptable.
A mediocre film with a nice twist, good acting and great stars.
Please, Please, Please…NO MORE 90 Pound Waifs kicking males arses…I am getting so sick of this genre..it is beyond B.S it is feminist propaganda…NO MORE!
Didn't know she was pro 2nd Ammend- great! I was thinking of going to see it anyway, but definitely will now- in about two hours matter o' fact.
>>>At one point in her flight, attired in a flowing fur-trimmed cape and matching hat, she looks like a fugitive from a fashion shoot.
Oh I get it. She's a female James Bond. Yawn.
I was in a Tae Kwon Do club in college. One of the senior students was a relatively small woman (maybe 5'4" and 115 lbs or so) who was a brown belt (just below black belt). Even though I was only a couple of steps above a complete novice, I kept wondering whether her skills would actually allow her to win if we sparred. She and the lead instructor (8th degree black belt) mock sparred once and he basically threw her around like a rag doll. Granted his skills were far superior, but it was pretty clear that her size made a difference too.
That said, training, speed, and leverage make a difference. Plus, if you give 'em a gun or have 'em fight zombies (Milla) then it makes more "sense." Personally, I don't care about the logic of whether Angie or Milla, etc., actually can kick butt, I just want to see them do it anyway.
Angelina Jolie is a stud! Some women can't carry action with a billion dollars in CGI and pyro-tech destruction to back them up but some women just own it outright shot with a handycam and a budget just shy of a bag of groceries. What America owes to John Voit!
So you wouldn't like this film idea:
http://xkcd.com/311/
?
I'm not a fan of the "must have explosions every five minutes" style of film that seems to pop up every summer, but this one is the exception. I can't remember a movie in recent memory that was flat out blow it up, jump some cars, shoot some guns, kill 'em all and let God sort them out" like this that I truly enjoyed. Usually the chases or explosions come off as filler for a poor story. Not Salt. The twists in story telling made me actually care about the character. That is a rare thing.
And the way they left the story, there is definitely room for an amazing sequel should Angelina decide to do it. If she does, I'll be first in line to lay down my cash for it.
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