Book Girl and I went to see Salt last night. The theater was fairly full considering it was mid-week. Ages seeing it ranged from teens to older adults.
Usually I do not see a movie like this without knowing where it is heading and how it ends. I had some idea, but did not do a thorough job of researching spoilers.
Salt kept my adrenalin going. I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie, at least metaphorically. Once the modern day sequence starts, it is non-stop action.
Opening Scenes
The opening scenes were very difficult to watch. In fact, I covered the screen view with my hands. As Book Girl said later, it is amazing what can be done with makeup -- which is what I was thinking as I watched what little I watched of it. Evelyn Salt (played by Angelina Jolie), a CIA operative, has been captured by North Korea. She is being tortured to reveal that she is not just a business woman. She never breaks. It is unclear how long she is held. She is ultimately released because her husband goes public with her situation and world opinion releases her in exchange for another prisoner held by the West.
It seems clear there is genuine love between Salt and her German husband. And it is also clear that he is the only one who could have succeeded in getting her released -- or even cared if she were.
Liev Schreiber is perfect in his part as her boss.
But is anything as it seems?
The Story
There are sleeper cells of Russian ops in the United States. They have been trained since childhood to take their place in a revolution from within. They blend into society as they speak perfect English (and perfect Russian.)
The US Vice-President has died and the Russian president is coming to the US to be an honorary pall bearer.
Simultaneously, almost, a Russian presents himself to the CIA and tells a story of the operatives, and pinpoints Evelyn Salt as the operative who will be the one who will kill the Russian president. She just happens to be the one interviewing him.
It was unclear to me why that would set off a revolution. I would have thought the kill would have to have been an American.
Immediately Salt is put on lock-down in the building, but because of her training, she is able to get away. Her only concern from this moment is: is her husband safe? She knows he will be targeted, as he is known. She wants to know where he is and see that he is protected.
Is Salt a CIA agent or a Russian Op?
That is the question. There are strong clues during the movie.
The story unfolds with some flashbacks to her childhood and to the meeting of her husband and their wedding.
There are twists and layers within layers of betrayal
Have you seen the movie?
It was very well done. The action scenes are superb. I'd like to know how the stunts were accomplished. Jolie performs many of her own stunts, which is pretty amazing. She spends a lot of time in the movie running, so she is surely in good physical condition. There is one scene in particular where her acting is incredibly nuanced.
I'd like to see the movie again, now that I know where it is heading, to watch her facial expressions in other scenes.
As Book Girl and I said to each other after the movie, we would not have liked the movie as well, if it hadn't ended the way it did, but we both agreed there was one thing that occurred which we wish had been different in the movie. And as it was happening, I said to her that it was a bad move on the part of those doing it. But the same things could have been accomplished without that. If you've seen the movie, I'm sure you know what I am talking about.
I'd go see a sequel. Jolie makes the movie. As she so aptly says, there is no one like her.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
Related posts:
- House Bunny (movie) (no spoilers) I saw this movie today, and it was surprisingly funny. I hadn't particularly wanted to go, but I was glad I did. The entire audience...
- Review: My life in ruins (movie) Bookgirl and I went to this movie last night. It's amazing how bad a critic can make a movie sound. It got zero stars in...
- Review Eclipse (movie) Book Girl, 12 yo daughter, and I went to see this movie the other day. We didn't make the midnight showing, but we went to...
- Review: The Blind Side (movie) If you haven't heard of this movie, hurry on over to your nearest theater and see it. Book Girl and I went this morning. I...
- Review Percy Jackson movie If you loved Harry Potter, be sure not to miss Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Book Girl and I went to the...
