thumbs down for Salt

[floatingleaf]

I don't suppose anyone remembers, but I mentioned here some months ago that my favorite Polish actor - on whom I used to crush heavily as a teen - had just recently had his first chance to play in a Hollywood film (Salt, with Angelina Jolie). The film itself didn't sound like it would be my cuppa, but I decided to see it anyway - out of pure curiosity. I guess I should have known better. That's two hours of my life I will never get back... LOL. Don't get me wrong - I really like Angelina, she's drop-dead gorgeous and a good actress, among other things - but that's precisely why I am sometimes puzzled by her career choices.:P I mean, she could do SO much better than this. But then again, some other guys in this movie - Liev Schreiber or Chiwetel Ejiofor, for example - are also really good actors, and yet they apparently have no problem acting in such an utterly sad and pointless piece of crap. And it's not like they're young and penniless and have to take ANY role that is offered to them, just so they can support their families (as was the case with Viggo back in the day, for example). It isn't so for the Polish actor in question either, btw (whose role in the movie is pretty secondary, anyway). So I can't quite understand what they were all thinking. Am I missing something here?... I mean, I make no secret of the fact that I don't like action thrillers (especially Hollywood action thrillers), but I was willing to give this one a chance. They're not all utterly worthless, you know. And ogling Angelina is always a pleasure - but, for that noble purpose, I could have picked any random romantic comedy where she would have acted sweet and seductive all along, instead of spreading bloody carnage left and right while jumping off bridges/planes, climbing skyscrapers and running barefoot for fifty miles without getting so much as a blister. I mean, there is some primal feminist satisfaction in watching her demolish twenty heavily armed guys in five minutes with her bare hands - but as for plausibility?... Uhm... yeah. Excuse moi. *embarrassed cough* The whole storyline is such a massive load of bullshit that I won't even try to recount it. But all you really need to know is that Americans are ALWAYS the good guys, Russians are always EVIL and this extremely dangerous woman, Evelyn Salt, who is actually a trained Russian assassin, turned against her own because she fell in love with this really sweet American guy (OK, he's technically German, but that's probably just so it wouldn't be too obvious). All right, Hollywood... give me another. *weary sigh* Or better yet, don't give me anything. I have no business with you anymore. I know I keep saying that - but then, every once in a while, I see really good, respectable names on a movie poster and think, Well, it can't be that bad if THOSE guys are in it. WRONG. It can be as bad as it gets - and those guys probably aren't taking it any more seriously than it deserves, knowing what the majority of American audience expects. Which is really sad and depressing, in a way. But don't listen to me - I'm just a misplaced European who will never figure this out... *headshake*

Comments

[pattyp53.livejournal.com]

Really??? I love action/adventure films and this one is no exception. To enjoy them, one must be willing to suspend a certain portion of "reality". They are meant to be fantasy (some more than others) and are not for everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed Salt, like I would a roller coaster ride. Personally, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Sorry you did not enjoy it!

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

To enjoy them, one must be willing to suspend a certain portion of "reality".

That's true, and that's precisely what I have a problem with. I watch movies to learn something about real life and real people - like, for example, life in other countries/other times, a certain historical event/person, human psychology etc. I just can't "get into" a story that I don't find believable. To me, it's a waste of time. For example, I couldn't stand the movie 300 (that everyone else seemed to be gushing about) for that very same reason. I tried watching it, but completely lost interest within the first 10 minutes. I felt like I was looking at a video game, or some sort of mindless babble.

On the other hand, LOTR felt very believable to me, even though it's obviously a fantasy story. Perhaps because the movies were done in a very "realistic" way. It could have been medieval Europe instead of Middle Earth, and the characters were psychologically convincing. I could RELATE to them - the films almost made me believe that hobbits, elves or wizards actually existed. While Salt certainly did not make me believe that someone like Angelina Jolie's character could be a real person. So that's probably the main reason I didn't enjoy it.

To each their own, I guess.

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

I tend to think that when you earn as much as a Hollywood actor you can make the movies you want because you want to or you can stop acting alltogether. I mean, seriously, these people *don't* have to work anymore to keep up their lifestyle. So it's either that she truly likes this kind of movie or that she prefers to get her huge paycheck without investing too much time and brain. I guess it's certainly easier to play such a role than something truly challenging.

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

So it's either that she truly likes this kind of movie or that she prefers to get her huge paycheck without investing too much time and brain.

Well, let's hope she wants the big paycheck because she is on a mission to help out more starving children in Africa.:P

[surreysmum.livejournal.com]

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." (Henry Mencken)

:)

I don't have much patience with action/adventure films myself, and will generally only watch one for a particular actor, or if I've heard it has slash potential. I did have "Salt" on my list for "might watch if it comes on TV", though. Sorry to hear it was a disappointment.

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Heheh. That's a great quote up there.:)

I don't have much patience with action/adventure films myself, and will generally only watch one for a particular actor

Like Johnny Depp, for example?...:D

And yeah, "slash potential" usually does it for me, as well. Blood and gore and gunfire and car races and explosions are simply not my thing, just for their own sake. *snort*