On one hand, Salt is a well-made, efficient action movie that doesn't fall victim to the seasonal bloat so common in the action genre this time of year. It's tightly edited, expertly paced, and over in the blink of an eye with a refreshing running time that clocks in under 100 minutes. On the other hand, Salt doesn't have nearly enough variety of flavors to make it memorable beyond that running time. It's almost like a mid-season extended episode of 24 (and the film non-ends on nearly as much of a franchise-starting hope) in that there's no weight to the proceedings, most of what happens is completely illogical, and there's not nearly enough personality to elevate the action into something more. In many ways, it's the anti-Inception in that it requires almost no discussion after the fact (other than perhaps to agree upon a giant plot hole or two) and works better if you shut your brain off and go along for the ride. Only after you turn your brain back on do you realize that the ride wasn't as much fun as it could or should have been and that you're not too keen to go for another spin despite the franchise setup by the final scene. That's the problem with even well-done popcorn entertainment – one flavor gets a little boring.

In the opening scene, we are introduced to Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) half-naked and being tortured in a North Korean prison. She denies that she's a spy under even the most extreme duress and the introduction is not only meant as a plot point but to make clear that Salt is a pretty damn good liar that has been trained to stick to her story no matter what is placed in her way. This is intended to instantly raise questions in the mind of the viewer when a Russian defector walks into Salt's interrogation room a few years later and tells everyone involved, including two agents played by Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, that one of the most notorious urban legends is true. The story goes that the Russians have been training "American replacements" for years and have been planting their agents in important roles around the world, where they live a double life for decades before they are forced into action on "Day X." One such agent was Lee Harvey Oswald. Another such agent is a woman named Evelyn Salt, who the defector tells our government will kill the Russian Prime Minister at that afternoon's funeral for the recently-passed American Vice President. Today is "Day X."

As the defector has been hooked up to lie detector software the entire time and his revelation about Salt appears to be truthful, the government has a few questions for the hottest spy in the world. But Salt is convinced that she's being burned and is worried that her loyal husband could be a target if they try to dismantle her entire life. She engineers an escape ostensibly to ensure his safety but is she going after him or merely proceeding with the assassination the Russian detailed? The ludicrous plot, one that falls apart with even the slightest examination, is basically one extended chase sequence in which Salt escapes and runs either to save or destroy the free world.

Jolie's sure-to-be underrated performance is actually the best thing about Salt. She completely sells the fact that she's an ass-kicking super-spy who could even be a Russian double agent. She's more of a superhero than Jason Bourne and sexier than any female agent the big screen has seen in years. Schreiber and Ejiofor are both good but they're better actors than the material they're given here, which is not much at all beyond the plot points their characters need to serve.

And that's the thing about Salt – it's just a series of plot points linked together with one long chase scene. There's something to be said for a film as efficient as Phillip Noyce's and the man knows how to stage an effective action scene, but the film is shockingly light on personality. There's no time for deep character development, but how about a line or two that registers beyond the closing credits? How about a strong visual composition? Would it be hard to sketch a believable supporting character or two? How about a super-spy plan not so heavily reliant on dumb luck? What's presented in Salt is incredibly well-done but that doesn't stop it from being disappointing. It's like a well-cooked piece of meat that wasn't marinated or seasoned at all. You can appreciate the craft and still wish there had been a bit more flavor.

Rating: TWO AND A HALF BONES

Release Date: July 23rd, 2010
Rating: PG-13

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
Directors: Phillip Noyce
Writers: Kurt Wimmer