Salt is one of those rare action flicks that has non-stop hard hitting action for ninety minutes straight and is all done with a brain. Originally, written for a male lead star, in which Tom Cruise was the primary candidate but after he turned it down because it was too similar to his role in Mission: Impossible the makers changed the script and took on Angelina Jolie to play the same role reworked for a female main lead.

Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a C. I. A. officer who is amazing at her job. She has done everything to protect the United States. One day, as she is leaving work to go home to her husband for their anniversary, a strange man walks into the C. I. A. offices with an extremely odd accusation about Salt. As she and her partner, Ted Winter (Schreiber), sit around to hear him talk, things start to get a little crazy. This man, who is considered a defector, claims that Evelyn is actually a Russian spy who has been planted in the United States to kill the President. Salt freaks out, thinking that this can't be true, and makes a run for it. Ted is on her side at first, but as the counter-intelligence officer Peabody (Ejiofor) steps in, he starts to realize that Evelyn could actually be a Russian spy. Her actions of running away are not helping her but she wants to make sure that her husband is safe, even if that means risking her life. As the movie goes on, we learn more and more about who Salt really is. The question is whether or not she can prove her innocence before being captured.

The action is absolutely non-stop but the best part about it is that it's believable. Director Philip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger) does not go over-the-top to the point where the action seemed unreal. Being that this movie is about 90 percent action, there is great story-telling occurring as well. The twists and turns in the plot are very surprising and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Throughout the entire film, you will be questioning who Salt really is. As the story gets deeper you start to become attached to the character but the best part is that you don't really ever know her true intentions. That hopefully will leave the film open for a sequel.

Jolie has finally bridged that gap where one is able to look at her character as an action star, rather than a female or male. Every performance in the film is strong from Jolie to the amazingly talented actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Liev Schrieber.

The film is short (100 minutes running time), fun and you get to see Angelina Jolie kicking butt and looking hot. Do watch it on the big screen.

-- Sampurn Wire