Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Jolie's shallow, ludicrous thriller has lots of violence.
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Salt
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Based on 53 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is an action-packed thriller that delivers plenty of excitement and suspense, primarily due to Angelina Jolie's strong performance, though it is also criticized for its excessive violence and graphic scenes. While some reviewers believe it's suitable for older tweens and teens, others feel the intense violence and complexity of the plot make it inappropriate for younger audiences.
- action-packed
- excessive violence
- suitable for teens
- complex plot
- strong performance
- graphic scenes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is just about to enjoy an anniversary dinner with her husband (August Diehl) when a Russian defector turns up and calmly claims that she's a Russian spy. She escapes, claiming to be looking for her now-missing husband, with agents Winter (Liev Schreiber) and Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) hot on her trail. Appearing like a Russian spy but sometimes acting like an American agent, she must remain in hiding. And, at the same time, she must risk getting close to some of the world's most powerful leaders and potentially starting another world war to achieve her mysterious goals.
Is It Any Good?
SALT could have been a pretty good summer popcorn thriller, but director Phillip Noyce and Jolie lend it too much weight without providing any depth; it takes its silly plot a bit too seriously. And although it tries to throw in some twists and surprises, they're not very well executed or surprising. Plus, the action is uninspiring, and the characters don't have any real depth. Some flashbacks seem like a last-minute attempt to help explain just who Salt really is, but they don't help.
In other words, there's not much at stake here, and what's left isn't really that much fun. Only Jolie's sharp onscreen ferocity helps pass the time in an interesting way, but even she feels a bit bored and/or stranded by the lack of material and imagination.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in the film. How did it make you feel? Why do you think it worked that way?
Was Salt acting out of revenge or for the best interests of the country? Or both? If both, how did she balance the two?
Was Salt right in killing and stealing to reach her goal? Could she have reached it any other way?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 23, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : December 21, 2010
- Cast : Angelina Jolie , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Liev Schreiber
- Director : Phillip Noyce
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 91 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense sequences of violence and action
- Last updated : August 24, 2022
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