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July 30, 2010
MOVIES
Review: Salt
Pure girl power
Text and photo by Ruth Manimtim-Floresca
“I want to watch that!” I immediately thought after seeing the Salt trailer a few weeks ago during a movie press screening. I have always appreciated Angelina Jolie’s performances in her past action films. She’s definitely made for roles like those she played in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Wanted.
In Salt, Jolie is a CIA agent named Evelyn Salt who was accused by a Russian defector of being a double agent. Fearing for her life and for her husband’s safety, Salt used her considerable skills and years of training as a covert operative to outwit, and evade being captured by, her colleagues as she tried to prove her innocence.
What came next were a series of heart-pumping confrontations and chases that would leave most watchers holding their breaths. I held mine as I winced and cringed at several scenes such as when Salt hurriedly constructed an improvised bazooka using a fire extinguisher, a table leg, office cleaning solutions and chemicals; gingerly traversed the sides of a tall building; outran and eluded her pursuers; and jumped from one moving vehicle to the next while her body was slammed and tossed this way and that. And those were just half of the many other encounters.
Whether a stand-in did the stunts or not, the action sequences were very convincing and were executed with great timing. I am not familiar with the other actors but they also performed their roles satisfactorily.
Unlike other action films, I’m glad this one didn’t bank on steamy love scenes (find out though why Salt removed her panties) and instead kept the audience focused on the plot which was very intriguing, to say the least. There were so many twists in the storyline that you won’t know what to believe until they were revealed.
Jolie’s self-confident stance and steady and piercing gaze helped make her a believable secret agent. And despite having given birth to three biological children, she is as gorgeous as ever. Her face remained attractive, her body stayed slim and fit and she looked fabulous whether her hair was blond or brunette, or long or short. The film’s costume and wardrobe department did a good job dressing her. I particularly loved the gray hat and outfit trimmed in fur which she wore during a ferry ride.
I have to mention that I found the torture scene, shown at the beginning of the movie, very disturbing. But, kudos to the makeup team, Jolie’s smashed up face, especially the swollen eye, was impressively real-looking. However, the mask prosthetics she had to wear later in the movie appeared too stiff and unreal. Thankfully, that didn’t remain on her face for long so you won’t have to tolerate it much.
On another note, I was fascinated to see what the so-called bunker under the White House looks like and what things are done there. Now I know. As to the movie’s plot itself, I wouldn’t want to reveal anything more as it might spoil your viewing pleasure. You really have to watch it to appreciate all that I wrote here.
So, is Salt one of the good guys or not? Is she or isn’t she a Russian spy? What is she going to do next? Find out for yourself.
What’s so entertaining about Salt is that movie goers will be kept guessing what would subsequently happen until the last few scenes. Given the ending, I’d guess a sequel is very much likely to be in the offing soon.
Salt is now showing in theaters nationwide.
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