Expected a lot from this movie and i now think the yanks have this andonly this aim in mind when making movies these days, Market the hellout of it so we all think Whhooooo that looks good, bloody excitingfilm there ill get myself down to the local flick get ripped off tofind a pathetic attempt at an action film. And we fall for it everytime and why? Because the pay a big star name like Angie here to starin it, you can imagine the planning meetings she reads the script andsays " It sucks" but we will pay you 1 million "I'll do it' she makes amillion they make millions and we get a joke of a movie of a hot babejumping down a lift shaft without even a bruise, sorry Jolie , used tobe a fan now i wouldn't bed you if you begged me. Ohh and it only gets2 stars because she has nice ass n boobs...

If you want to ride a roller coaster without trudging through a themepark and getting a neck ache, then just watch Salt instead. This is apure and simple popcorn action thriller. You strap yourself in and theride is one unbelievable thrill after another with just enough breaksto catch your breath. Angelina Jolie's character isn't believable forone minute if you compare this to real life. A roller coaster in yourden isn't believable either. In fact, nothing is believable, but that'swhat makes this so much fun. I think it would have been pretty bland(sorry, can't resist the puns) if it had starred a male lead. I readthat Tom Cruise was originally attached but that fell through. All thebetter for us! Tom has already proved he can do this kind of role againand again. Angie has, too, but not on this level. Lara Croft who? Mrs.Smith without Mr. Smith? Yes, it can be done and done better! Wantedwas okay, but it was such a violent film and Jolie wasn't the lead. Ifthe franchise continues, and it looks like it could, I'll be going backfor seconds on Salt.

Ever since 2002, Hollywood has had a case of mistaken "BourneIdentity," pulling the trigger on any script that weaves governmentIntelligence with guns and combat and centers on a protagonist whodoesn't know his or her own strength. "Salt" is another byproduct ofthe "Bourne" era, yet barely executes half as well as that consummatesecret agent thriller.

Angeline Jolie plays the titular "hero" in question, a CIA agent. Whenshe interrogates a Russian who claims a Soviet sleeper agent willattempt to assassinate the president of Russia, she finds the fingerpointed at her as that exact agent and so she goes on the run, veryquickly putting her innocence out of the question, whereas the filmwould lead you to believe it's a "is she or isn't she?" movie. Wheneverthat's the case, you can bet the answer lies in the gray area, butnevertheless, that's "Salt."

Why movie scripts can't simply let go of old Cold War themes and plotswarrants a rigorous head scratch. Writer Kurt Wimmer ("Law AbidingCitizen," "Equilibrium") has a history of penning films that are neveras believable as they are entertaining and "Salt" follows suit. Theidea of bitter "comrades" awakening sleeper agents 20 years later thatthey trained and planted in the USA in hopes of reigniting nuclear warmight top his list of improbable.

Yet "Salt" has a nuclear warhead in Angelina Jolie, Hollywood's mosttreasured femme fatale. When Tom Cruise left the project, she becamethe sexy choice and consequently might have saved a Cruise-led "Salt"from complete annihilation critically and financially.

Philip Noyce ("Patriot Games," "Clear and Present Danger") could directa film like this in his sleep and he may well have. I was able to watchthe director's cut, which is insignificant when you don't see thetheatrical cut, but I didn't find anything other than the action allthat redeeming, so I imagine it made no difference. His expertise liesin flipping the adrenaline switch on and satisfying that part of everyviewer that's just waiting for the action to kick into gear. It's veryobvious when something will happen, but the results are lesspredictable than you'd expect.

The real problem with "Salt," preposterousness aside, comes in storystructure. In order for the effective twists and turns at the end (notunforeseeable, but still exciting), Wimmer and Noyce both have todownplay Salt's character. Frankly, she sucks for most of the film.She's a terrible protagonist because -- without giving anything away --the script's not-so-well guarded secrets are held in priority above hercharacter development. Irrelevant flashbacks to her "husband" are anattempt at humanizing her, but her present actions become too strongfor those sympathy cards to work.

Espionage thriller and action movie fans will find comfort in "Salt"and continue to be drawn to Jolie's performances in these roles, butthose who can't keep their fingers out of plot holes and have to ponderthe feasibility of a story will be frustrated throughout most. For me,the twists at the end sorting the film out and making it "matter" moresaved it from total mediocrity.

~Steven C

Visit my site at http://moviemusereviews.com

The year was 1997. Modern-day megastar Angelina Jolie had yet to hitthe big time, and had earnt her latest paycheck from appearing as arunaway escort in the music video for The Rolling Stones' Anybody SeenMy Baby? (A lyric of which serves as the inspiration for this review'stitle). The clip was extremely well directed, and the song was, in thismusic- illiterate's opinion, the standout of their Bridges To Babylonalbum.

But I digress. There are many ways to describe the slightlyabove-average Salt, but Mr. Jagger puts it best. With this film, Jolieproves beyond doubt that no other actress can carry the weight of anaction film with the poise and style that she possesses. In a similarfashion to her husband (but not quite to the same extent), Jolie's lifehas become so engulfed by the media that one can easily forget thatacting skills that made her so famous in the first place. The plot isarguably the most inspired and enjoyable aspect of the film. Amultitude of twists in the second half make it difficult to describewithout giving away key details, but its outward originality is veryrefreshing in a genre typically lacking in new ideas.

Evelyn Salt is a CIA interrogator who becomes involved in a conspiracytheory concerning Russian sleeper spies planted in America almost fiftyyears ago. Needless to say, it requires an immense suspension ofdisbelief (none more so than when an explanation is given for theRussians being responsible for the murder of JFK…we all know it was theMafia's idea) but it becomes increasingly enticing, even if it doeslose its way a little at the end.

Jolie really does carry this film right from the opening scene. Aptlycomplemented by Schreiber, Ejiofor and Inglourious Basterds' AugustDiehl, this is the type of film that dosen't require the lead tooverstretch their acting chops, but instead deliver where it counts:the pure entertainment department. With a performance that requiresrapid personality changes to accommodate different scenarios, Jolie'scharacter remains at the forefront of the action, and more than holdsher own during the speedy but well-directed action scenes. And yes, shedoes look good doing it.

But Jolie does not deserve all of the credit with respect to theportrayal of the title character. Screenplay writer Kurt Wimmer, whilenot exactly delivering a groundbreaking script, has created a complexfigure in Evelyn Salt. As the viewer, you'll find yourself constantlyquestioning her role in the story, even after her true identity isrevealed.

As mentioned earlier, Salt begins to stray in the final scene, wherethe characters' motives are somewhat sacrificed in preference of anexplosive, gun-toting finale, which comes dangerously close tofiltering in an avalanche of crime-thriller clichés in the process. Infact, it becomes too convoluted for its own good. For a film thatcommences so promisingly and keeps up that air of intrigue during theSecond Act, it feels as if director Phillip Noyce tried to pull anInception, that is, putting together an ending so mind-bending itleaves everyone in the cinema talking long after the movie is over.

In that respect, the film fails. The outcome is needlessly complicated,and the process through which we get to that outcome makes less andless sense the more I think about it. Nonetheless, the film on thewhole is, just like the apple strudel in Diehl's previous film, notterrible.

Phillip Noyce's 'Salt' is a decent action-thriller that focuses onSpys. The film has it's share of shortcomings, but manages to sailsafely.

Angelina Jolie stars as Salt a CIA agent, who is accused of being adouble agent. Her journey from there-after, is filled with loads ofaction, and many twists and turns.

'Salt' has a paper-thin plot, but it's list of twists keep theproceedings alive. However, I would like to state, that, theculmination doesn't appeal. The actual twist in the tale doesn't leaveany impact whatsoever. Writers Kurt Wimmer and Brian Helgeland could'vetruly worked for a better culmination.

Phillip Noyce's direction is fair, while the stunts are the mainstay ofthe film. Angelina Jolie is excellent as Salt and goes on to prove herpotential once again. Among other performances, Liev Schreiber andChiwetel Ejiofor leave a lasting impression.

On the whole, 'Salt' also offers some spice. Apart from a tackyculmination, this one truly ranks as a fit popcorn flick. Reccmended!

Full of surprises and adrenaline, "Salt" has a dark playful side thatrelishes in misdirection. What it lacks in explanation, clearintentions, and realism, it makes up in novelty and clever action. Thefilm is a spy thriller involving CIA agents and KGB spies. In thissense, it's something like a remnant of Cold War conspiracy movies. Thebest parts use frequent red herrings to drive the story, which isevident from the tagline: "Who is Salt?".

Action is its emphasis: fantastic car stunts, close call killings, andspectacular Houdini escapes. Angelina Jolie stars as a CIA agent, namedEvelyn Salt, who we discover is an expert at interrogation and, fromthe looks of it, a supreme master at martial arts, stealth, andmarksmanship. She's like a ninja, but the main characters usually arein Kurt Wimmer action stories (anyone remember his Gun-Kata or Gun Fuinvention for "Equilibrium", basically a gun training dance?).

Suddenly she seems to question her allegiance to the CIA, but the storykeeps her intentions as a sort of riddle. Her close partner is TedWinter (Liev Schreiber), who councils her to avoid taking on desk jobs.We don't need to worry about that. After a Russian defector, Orlov(Daniel Olbrychski), walks voluntarily into the CIA headquarters andhints that Salt (Angelina Jolie) might be a Russian spy intent onkilling Medvedev (the Russian president), she escapes from CIA custody.Why is she so hasty and quick to flee from counterintelligence agents?Is she allergic to sitting on the other side of the interrogationtable? Is her husband in danger? And if so, from who? These questionskeep you interested to figure out what's going on. She hunts for herhusband and prepares for battle. The plot twists and turns throughassassination attempts, sometimes aiming to provoke a war between theU.S. and Russia. Medvedev is a major target while attending a funeralin the U.S. for the vice president. Russia starts to militarize whenthey find out. The U.S. President is also a target, forcing him to takecover and get his nuclear strike case ready.

It's difficult to give details without spoiling the movie, so here area few things it isn't (though not as criticism). It wasn't a version ofKurt Wimmer's "Ultraviolet", thankfully. Wimmer went back to writingafter his "Ultraviolet" disaster, but in that job he hasn't suffered inthe least, and perhaps this film will help revitalize his futureprospects (it should). The director of "Salt", by the way, is PhillipNoyce ("The Bone Collector", "Clear and Present Danger", "PatriotGames"), but his touch for military-political intrigue shows throughonly slightly.

Military strategy isn't central to the story either. It lacks broaddetail or chess strategy during its assassination plot sequences,almost treating them as cursory events in the tribulations of EvelynSalt. You don't get any realistic sense of the U.S. President's guardsreacting to the assassination attempts or the two nations (US andRussia) mobilizing forces against one another due to the threats. Butthey aren't the focus. It's a conspiracy duel between KGB and CIAagents. You are mainly in the position of trying to figure out atypical "Bourne Identity" plot.

Salt weaves through the intrigue. She changes disguises often andavoids any easy to tell moralistic sympathies. She's classy andserious, with time to take care of her little dog and reflect on herhusband. She also flies down elevator shafts like Spider-Man. After aseries of incredible car crashes, she bandages a small cut on her sidewhen she should be lying in a hospital. But, still, her character hasan interesting back story and her flashiness makes the movie enjoyable.

Angelina Jolie has a knack for keeping our curiosity even in the mostabsurd moments, perhaps best when she turns to the mysterious and darkside. Initially Tom Cruise was asked to play the lead role, but heturned it down, fearing it was too similar to "Mission: Impossible".The locations were shot in New York and Washington, DC on a budget of$130 million. The ending has an obvious contradiction in the dialogpretty much (revealing it would require a spoiler), but in a ludicrousaction-thriller written this well, it isn't even annoying.