Salt (Unrated)

Salt (2010 Columbia) starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Philip Noyce is a duplication and update of a well done French classic movie make in 1990 titled La Femme Nikita (1990 France) starring Anne Parillaud and directed by Luc Beeson. See the "Alternatiave Ending" version of this movie.....it's better, makes better sense, should have been chosen as the "primary" or "main" version of the movie released to movie houses. The Alternative version ending is very intelligent and satisfying in a way the "official," "main" version of the movie is not. Nuff said! Well....more about that....(to drive the point home!)...... The "Alternative Ending" version of "Salt" (2010) available on DVD's with several variations of the movie is the best one, and all interested in the great "Salt" movie should see that version, rather than the version which was released to the movie houses in 2010, and which is the "default" "official," and "main" version viewers see unless they visit the "special features" section of the DVD of "Salt" and choose the "alternative ending." To get back to the comparison of "Salt" (2010) with "La Femme Nikita" (1990), both movies are about beautiful females who look like high fashion ramp models, both unusually underweight with exotic faces and thick, sensuous lips, who are recruited, manipulated, forced to become government assassins, and who murder many innocent people in cold blood 'doing their job" during the course of the story and the movie, but in the end "jump ship" and escape from their government manipulator puppet-masters, and disappear at the end of both movies to an unknown and uncertain future....the price both women pay for escaping from their roles as forced government assassins. Both movies demonstrate and assert that the classical "femme fa tale" may be part of a story which has almost nothing to do with romance or connection with any male, and also that the female protagonist in an action/ mystery story (both Salt and La Femme Nikita are action/ mystery stories) can be capable of astonishing feats of physical prowess and strength against male antagonists in which the female wins physical fights and the males lose....repeatedly. Both Angelina Jolie as "Evelyn Salt" in SALT and Anne Parillaud (one of the top fashion models in France before she became a movie star) as "Nikita" retire from the stories both star in "undefeated" in all serious contests they engage in....the men they come up against always lose, the female protagonists always win. The female protagonists never face female antagonists in either movie, which is significant. The Salt (2010) movie uses a lot of tricky editing and fast paced cutting to assist Angelina Jolie 'do her thing" beating up men and doing Harrison Ford style action miracles which would easily kill most people.... The La Femme Nikita (1990) movie is smoother, and more believable for that reason, and probably the better of the two movies for that reason.....it is much less a "video-game" Dark Knight type movie, relies far less on gimmicks and technical/ digital tricks..... Salt (2010) starring Angelina Jolie lacks the needed humorous and human intervals provided in La Femme Nikita (1990). The main female character in Salt (2010) is much less lovable and far more driven...she really does stay "on task" and is almost a machine as military ideal soldiers are supposed to be. Women may or may not be capable of all the superstar action and heroic stunts Angelina Jolie performs as the "Evelyn Salt" character, but such ladies are like the napkins neatly folded for wedding anniversaries Angelina Jolie ("Salt") comments on at the start of the movie..."Not too sexy." How true, how true. But Salt is a good movie worth seeing....so, of course is/was La Femme Nikita (1990). The DVD disc version for home viewing I bought included three different versions of the movie, including an "extended cut" which showed and alternative ending and at least one key part earlier in the movie changed to fit the alternative ending. I can see why the version ultimately released in movie houses and offered as the "official version" was chosen. The released version (the "official" one) is more logical, and the ending is closer to La Femme Nikita (1990 French). Both Salt (2010) and La Femme Nikita (1990) examine the potential and unexpected physical and mental power of beautiful females built like super-models one sees on Vogue Magazine covers, and almost never in Hollywood (or French) action movies. Both are good movies. We need more just like them....odd that it took 20 years for Salt (2010) to pick up where La Femme Nikita (1990) left off. -------- Written by Tex Allen, SAG Actor.

One of my favorite movies with drama suspense, entertainment. I’ve watched it four times, at least.

The entire movie was ACTION packed and shockingly amazing. The agent SALT was dramatic and steadfast even for her size which she used to her advantage every time! I seen a lot of SLEEP agent movies and one of the best sleepers is played in another movie (hint he was being nominated for president) While the overall layout was very accurate for presidential security the ACTUAL real protocols for MOVIE principles were changed intentionally. In real life nearly all protocols were changed and some totally fiction, but movie magic is needed and was used fine. Agents in close proximity to the president have a no weapons tolerance other than secret service agents PERIOD! Not to mention all active agents must have a daily password to enter the restricted zone among having a specific item before clearance is authorized. In this movie versus real life any person taken into custody would be fully restricted and unable to secure any type of weapon while being escorted under heavy guard. The giveaway in my opinion that SALT was a good US agent was the fact the venom was found in the russian president which was ALIVE and that she did not kill the intelligence agent when she had the drop on him completely. What pissed off SALT was the russians killed her husband which SHE really loved! End of story she was PISSED and it clarly showed on the russian ship not leaving one of them alive and the russians were armed heavily and trained killers from childhood! My score a 10! Jason Bourne has been beaten by a woman!

great action movie and I love Angelina Jolie

One thing you can count on: When Angelina Jolie does an action movie, you know you're going to get action and plenty of it. The action in "Salt" is so non-stop, so relentless, so slam-bang-in-your-face, that the film moves at warp speed and it's over almost before you realize it. That the plot is patently ridiculous somehow doesn't seem to matter very much. This movie is meant to be pure fun, and on that score, it delivers. Jolie plays Evelyn Salt (it's interesting that this role was originally written for a male actor, but Jolie proves she is more than able to handle it), a CIA operative married to a German scientist who specializes in all kinds of deadly spiders, who managed to get her out of a North Korean prison where she is being gruesomely tortured as the film opens. But it turns out she may or may not be a Russian sleeper agent who is scheduled to go into action as soon as some very nasty stuff hits the fan; specifically, the assassinations of both the Russian and American presidents, and the detonation of a nuclear bomb or two. Salt's cover is blown (maybe) and she protests she was set up, but since nobody believes her, she's off and running in some really exciting chase sequences. Jolie actually did some of her own stunts in this movie, although not the more dangerous ones such as jumping from the top of one speeding truck to another. The real fun in this film comes from the fact that we can't really tell who Salt is. Is she an American agent, or Russian, or Russian pretending to be American, or American pretending to be Russian? By the end of the film we still don't know, but we know one thing: the way this film ends, a sequel is probably already on the storyboards. All of the actors give creditable performances, but Jolie's performance is what really makes you want to see this film more than once. Tabloid gossip aside, she's a damn good actress, and she totally throws herself into this movie, literally and figuratively. Tune in next summer (hopefully) for the next exciting episode. UPDATE 4/4/11: I just watched the DVD with all three versions of the film (theatrical release, director's cut and extended cut), and am wondering why in the world didn't the studio release the extended cut in the theaters? It's a totally different ending, which I'm darned if I'm giving away, except to say that it's much more satisfying and makes for a vastly better movie overall. You can choose your version simply by going to the DVD menu, click on Play Movie, and then select whichever of the three you want. The extended cut of this movie is the one to watch. Judy Lind

Good movie

....I watched this movie a while back, but didn't remember it being this good!!. The script is excellent with a great twist. Wonderful acting and plenty of action. What's not to love!! Give it a watch....

Lots of action

Super film d action.

Ich möchte an dieser Stelle nicht nur den Film, sondern auch die BluRay bewerten, daher beziehen sich meine 5 Sterne auf das Gesamtprodukt. Dem Film an sich würde ich 4 Sterne geben, soviel schonmal vorab! Bei dem Film gehen die Meinungen stark auseinander, ich kann ein paar der negativen Kritiken verstehen, schließlich bietet Salt im Grunde nichts neues. Filme über den ewigen kalten Krieg gab es schon und Agententhriller ála Bond und Bourne ebenfalls. Trotzdem hat mir der Film sehr gut gefallen, nicht nur weil der Agent in diesem Fall von Angelina Jolie gespielt wird, sondern auch weil Salt gleichzeitig auf der Flucht als auch auf der Jagd ist und man sich somit ständig neu orientieren muss und dadurch eine gewisse Spannung entsteht, weil man nie genau weiß in welcher Rolle sie gerade steckt. Ist sie eine der Guten? Eine der Bösen? Vielleicht beides? Natürlich darf man hier keinen tiefgründigen Politthriller erwarten und wer großen Wert auf Realismus legt, wird vermutlich enttäuscht werden. Wer aber einfach mal abschalten möchte und für rasante Action was übrig hat kommt hier voll auf seine Kosten. Salt bietet im Grunde Non-Stop Action, viele gute Effekte und Stunts. Mein Leben ist mir oft realistisch genug, da bin ich oft sogar froh wenn im Film einfach mal ein paar physikalische Grenzen überschritten werden! Soviel an der Stelle zum Film, wer Transporter und Wanted mochte wird diesen Film mit Sicherheit auch mögen, da bin ich mir sicher! Nun also zur technischen Umsetzung der BluRay: Der Ton liegt in DTS-HD MA (sowohl englisch als auch deutsch) vor und kann sich wirklich hören lassen! Klare Dialoge, viele direktionale Effekte und an den gewissen Stellen kommt auch der Subwoofer ordentlich zum Einsatz. Insgesamt eine sehr dynamische Abmischung, an der es nichts auszusetzen gibt und genau hier reiht sich auch das Bild ein. Absolut sauberer Transfer mit enormer Schärfe, sowohl in Nahaufnahmen als auch in den Totalen. Auch in den dunklen Szenen werden kaum Details verschluckt und ein Rauschen sucht man vergebens! Respekt an Sony, so sollte eine BluRay aussehen! Auch das Bonusmaterial ist umfangreich ausgefallen, insgesamt haben die Features eine Laufzeit von über 100 Minuten, darunter die folgenden: - Die ultimative Actionheldin (8 min.) - Spionen-Tarnung: Die verschiedenen Looks der Evelyn Salt - Radiointerview mit Regisseur Phillip Noyce (27 min.) - Salt: Freigegeben - Making-Of von Salt (30 min.) - Die echten Agenten (Interview mit ehemaligen CIA- und KGB-Mitarbeitern, 13 min.) - Der Meister des Politthrillers: Phillip Noyce (9 min.) - Falsche Identität: Erschaffung einer neuen Realität (Making of einiger Effekte, 7 min.) - Spy Cam: Bild in Bild Videokommentar - Audiokommentar - movieIQ (Zugriff auf weiterführende Informationen während des Films aus dem Internet) - BD Live - Footage Marker: markiert die zusätzlichen Szenen im Extended bzw. Directors Cut Und genau das ist das Beste an der BluRay: Alle drei Versionen (Kinoversion, Directors Cut und der Extended Cut) auf einer Scheibe! Hier hat man zwar weiterhin die Qual der Wahl, aber man bezahlt nur einmal für den Film und nicht wie sonst erstmal nur Kinoversion, 4 Wochen später Extended Version und halbes Jahr später noch der Directors Cut. Bei Salt ist die Veröffentlichungspolitik ausnahmsweise mal lobenswert! Es sei auch noch erwähnt das alle Extras deutsche Untertitel besitzen und einige davon wirklich sehenswert und informativ sind! Von den drei Versionen hat mir der Directors Cut am Besten gefallen. Der größte Unterschied zwischen DC und den anderen beiden ist das Ende und beim DC bekommt man Lust auf einen zweiten Teil während der Extended Cut und die Kinoversion in sich ziemlich abgeschlossen sind. Mehr will ich an der Stelle nicht verraten... Insgesamt eine tolle BluRay in einem schicken Steelbook OHNE FSK-Logo, von daher insgesamt volle 5 Sterne!

Entretenida

The sheer drama of Salt was a great relief for me, as I'd gone in wondering whether Phillip Noyce was going to bottle it and produce a 'diet coke' movie yet again. While his international release debut Dead Calm was a stunningly directed exercise in tension, his Hollywood films all seemed to be watered down - Patriot Games was okay, but highly patchy with a cop-out ending. Even the better Clear and Present Danger insisted on painting its hero as a total boy-scout of perfection and was highly patchy. Thank God he's got his mojo back! Salt is directed with searing talent. The violence feels brutal and immediate, much of it feeling very much its own style with slight influences of the Matrix and Bourne's fights' immediacy. While the highly dramatic set pieces are not entirely unexpected, they're executed with true panache, and carried out in ways you didn't quite expect. Also the sound design deserves special credit, as the bullets and smack and whine of impacts - both people and rounds - are startling and truly enhance the impact of the storytelling and sense of excitement. This is high drama created out of a script so loopy and paranoid that 90's favourite Chuck 'Navy SEALs/The Jackal' Pfarrer could have written it. However, to give writer Kurt Wimmer (of Equilibrium and Law Abiding Citizen fame) his due, this has a harder, more brutal edge, and the characters have a marginal amount more depth than expected. A lot of this is conveyed by Jolie's expressions rather than dialogue, and she gives a tremendous performance that keeps us guessing and in a state of surprise for the majority of the movie. She's the girder keeping this picture standing, and boy is she a strong choice. Her Salt is a super-agent, utterly convincing as a tremendous, lethal guerilla fighter and marksman, hyper-physical, and who simply happens to be a woman. But unlike so many lesser actresses, Jolie manages to retain her femininity throughout the film alongside this, and creates a portrait of a fully rounded and talented character. The plot races from one exciting set-piece to the next, with some surprisingly sweet human touches in between, and without giving anything away, Wimmer makes some surprising (and terrific) choices with what we think we know about the plot in order to keep the action and tension charging forward. Barring one peculiar special effect, the effects work and set design are all excellent. This is pure B movie elevated to grandstanding Hollywood A-list by tremendously assured direction, a tightly engineered, fast script, and an amazingly committed performance from Jolie. Suspicion is thrown around at all of the major characters, but not with the ham-fistedness I was expecting. The ending is tremendously exciting, and amusingly inventive even if elements are a touch hackneyed, and it very much left me thrilled at seeing it as I left the cinema. I was also hugely appreciative of the fact that the script couldn't be bothered to baby the audience - while it makes it clear what's going on in the end, it leaves you to draw your own conclusions from that, in a way that too few movies are brave enough to attempt. It was nice to be treated like an adult for once. And it was terrific to have sat through what I felt was easily the best action film of the year. The Blu-Ray edition is clear and has great sound, but also had 2 alternate versions. Unusually, I'd advise watching the 'Theatrical Cut' first, as I feel this is the superior, more ambiguous version. The third, 'Extended' Edition gives more of the plot away earlier, and I felt it's ending was a little too neat and 'Hollywood' - however, many viewers may like that, and after being shown both versions my other half declared they thought the more explanatory Extended cut was better. It's up to you. But either way, you're in for a visceral, dramatic ride.

Parfait