RATING: *** (3 stars)
Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is a CIA officer who has served her country faithfully for years. When a Russian intelligence officer defects and names her as a Russian spy, it becomes a race against time to prove her innocence.
In a summer loaded to the brim with action movies, Salt adds another one to the mix. Really nothing fancy or noteworthy about it save for a few choice bits that really make it stand out--the first of which is the story itself. Reminiscent of a Cold War-era spy movie, the film captures that element of suspense in not knowing for certain which side each of the players is on until the grand reveal at the end. You will get hints along the way and savvy movie-goers might pick up on clues along the way, but most people will enjoy the ride.
The other particularly noteworthy element about the film is the lack of gratuitous violence. Particularly of interest for parents and other concerned with the amount of blood in Hollywood these days, there is surprising little in Salt. Hand-to-hand combat and gunfights, yes. Blood... not so much. Something to keep in mind if that worries you, but mostly noteworthy because that obviously is not the norm in a Hollywood action movie nowadays.
Overall Salt is a fun little action movie that moves along at a brisk pace so you shouldn't ever feel like the movie is dragging. I would call this a straight-up "popcorn flick", one that you may or may not go to see in theaters, but certainly worth a look when it hits DVD.
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