Opened July 23, 2010 | Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.
PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and intense sequences of action
Angelina Jolie kicks ass.
End of review.
What? You need to know more? Fine.
My parents loved it. My teenage boys loved it. I loved it.
I heard that Tom Cruise was originally cast as Edwin Salt, but he backed out. So they did a rewrite and brought in Angelina as Evelyn. That was possibly the smartest thing anyone in Hollywood has done in a very long time! This could have ended up being just another Minority Report, with Tom running around all framed and persecuted.
But Angelina, just WOW! She brings a whole other dimension to it. And you are never really sure just who’s side she’s on. I was questioning it right up til then end. And even then I was thinking, is this yet another twist? Who else is in on it? I didn’t know who to trust (and I was just sitting in my seat!)
I read that Angie did all her own stunts (that the insurance company would allow) but that the only really injury she suffered was busting through a door and rolling into a desk head first. Stitches and a big bandage later, she said she was completely embarrassed!
She won me over in the acting department too. I haven’t been a big fan of hers and so I’ve sort of avoided most of her movies that didn’t involve trying to kill Brad Pitt. I really had no idea if she was a decent actress or not. But then I remembered she was in Girl, Interrupted with Winona Ryder (and the late Brittaney Murphy. RIP, Brit!) Back before anyone knew who she was. And she was seriously intense and awesome. Guess what? She’s only improved with time!! She NAILED this one. Big time. I have total respect for her (in the acting arena, still haven’t forgiven her for the whole Brad/Jennifer split. Team Jen!)
My parents said that by the end of the movie they were completely exhausted! It is a mile a minute race. Just when you think she’s cornered, BAM! She finds another totally unexpected escape route. The storyline is extremely fast-paced, with lots of twists and turns (I feel like I’m writing the review for Inception again!) and loads of double agents!
There are other people besides Ms. Jolie in this one, though Liev Schreiber is probably the only name you’ll recognize. The supporting cast is excellent. All very convincing, maybe too convincing. I couldn’t tell who’s lying and who’s telling the truth!!
A special shout out for the dialect coaches. Not a single Boris or Natasha accent in the bunch! Way to go!!
My overall review: I want to be Angelina Jolie when I grow up (and I pretty much couldn’t stand her before this movie!) Sure, you could wait and rent it. But what fun is that?!
Salt official movie website
You can read more of Tiffany’s writing at Mommy in Real Life.
Thanks for the review–I will say I AM intrigued. I am just like you that I can’t stand her for the whole Jen thing and have wanted to boycott her. That type of movie would suck with yet another A-list male (but I love me some Matt Damon as Jason Bourne). So a woman would be cool.
CincyMom – I agree. I am intrigued too. I don’t generally go for action flicks (with the exception of Matt Damon as Jason Bourne because, well, he is Matt Damon), but this has me very interested.
I also have it on good authority that Jennie@IW is a big big Angie Fan (even during the whole Jen/Brad ‘thing’) so I am sure I can persuade her to come along! 🙂
I am interested in seeing this movie. Maybe I can talk my husband into going to it. I think my sister said she was going this weekend so I will also see what she has to say. I like Angelina Jolie even though when Brad and Jen broke up I was a little upset. 😉
This sounds so very good. I loved her in Girl Interrupted, Brittany Murphy too. I think the first movie I saw her in was Gia and that was great too. Sigh, I’ll never get to the theater to see this one. But, I can’t wait til it’s on DVD. Thanks for the kick-ass review.
Jennie and I saw it yesterday. Jolie was fantastic and did kick ass!
As to be expected, some of it was over the top and implausible, but thoroughly entertaining.