Salt

If ever there was a time for a good spy movie, what with the recent trade of undercover agents between the U.S.A and Russia not too long ago, then it would be now. Question is, has it been released yet?
Director Phillip Noyce reunites with everyone's favourite adopting machine Angelina Jolie. The last time they worked together was on The Bone Collector.
Screenwriter Kurt Wimmer has dabbled a few times in this genre; he also wrote The Recruit and The Thomas Crown Affair.
Jolie is Evelyn Salt, CIA agent and anniversary-celebrating wife. She met her husband Mike (August Diehl - Inglourious Basterds) preparing for an assignment in North Korea.
Back in the U.S she's got a reputation for sorting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to 'walk-ins'. A walk in is someone who 'walks off the street' and says they have important information that could be useful to the Government. The CIA then determines whether or not the intelligence is legit or if someone is just looking for a little attention.
So when Russian Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski - Revisited) says there's a Russian spy who is going to kill the Russian President while he's in the U.S, Evelyn is sent to get the truth out of him.
Turns out Orlov says that she is the Russian spy.
Salt is in a pickle.
Her co-workers Winter (Liev Schreiber - Wolverine) and Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor - 2012) keep her locked in the interrogation room while they figure out what to do.
Unfortunately for them, Salt is a veritable Houdini in the escape department.
So she's on the run from the Government who thinks she's guilty because she's on the run. Evelyn says just wants to get home to make sure her husband is OK.
Is she telling the truth?
I have some questions. Two that I can remember; both plot critical...
1. If people getting on planes have to go through airport security and get their shoes x-rayed then surely someone claiming to have vital information walking into a top secret Government facility would also have their shoes x-rayed?
I thought so.
2. If someone killed the head of another country in a location that is swarming with CIA and Secret Service Agents, would they take that person into custody or would the local police department?
I thought so too.
Jolie is back in Tomb Raider form, using trucks like trampolines and having as many identity changes as Madonna. She does a good job in this even though the film seems more about the action and less about the character.
When there is action on screen it's great but when there isn't, it's certainly missed. The plot will keep you guessing; is she a spy, a double agent, a triple agent; but this does seem to get a bit out of hand when other factors are introduced towards the end. Speaking of...
The ending is rather unsatisfying, due to which the obligatory sequel questions must be asked. So will there or won't there?
I don't know how this would have turned out if Tom Cruise had been in it like it was originally planned. They say having a female lead added more dimension but I don't think it would have made much of a difference.
Things I learnt: Ange looks great with short hair; Ange looks OK as a dude; make friends with the neighbourhood kids.
It was OK.
Six out of ten.