Salt

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Salt Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Jolie's shallow, ludicrous thriller has lots of violence.

PG-13 2010 91 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 14+

Based on 23 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 55 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that action thriller Salt -- which stars Angelina Jolie as a CIA agent on the run -- is quite violent: There's lots of fighting, shooting, stabbing, killing, chases, and explosions, as well as a brief torture scene and a flashback scene suggesting that a child was beaten. Strong language isn't constant, but you'll hear both "f--k" and "s--t." Sexy stuff mostly stops at kissing (though one scene also features Salt removing her underwear from beneath her skirt), and some Russian spies drink vodka, but it's not prominent. Teen fans of Jolie and action may be intrigued, but it's not as entertaining as her 2008 hit Wanted.

Community Reviews

doctora
doctora Adult
June 14, 2022
age 14+

Jolie is a strong protagonist

A refreshingly strong female protagonist that literally kicks butts and outwits large groups of highly trained folks. As the late great Roger Ebert stated Jolie outBonds James Bond in this film and she performs her stunts with ease and professionalism. Schreiber is awesome in all of his Schreiber-ness and convinces. It is a shame the series did not continue, Salt's story feels like it could run for a long while.
Katiermosss
Katiermosss Adult
May 12, 2019
age 15+

Entertaining Movie

Everyone talks about the plot holes and how unrealistic this movie is. And yes it is completely unrealistic. But you have to remember this is Hollywood. It’s not supposed to be based on a true story. I will say there is a lot of violence. To me it was thrilling and a nice change from all the sex filled movies out there.
See all 23 parent reviews

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

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate