DVD reviews
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"... a thundering example of style over substance."
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Treasure Guards
"A willing suspension of disbelief should get most viewers across the line."
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Salt (DVD)
Year: 2010
Rating: M
Director: Phillip Noyce
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Angelina Jolie, Zoe Lister Jones, Liev Schreiber
Release Date: December 22, 2010
Distributor: Sony
The Film: 3.5
The Disc: 3.0
FILMINK rates DVDs and Blu-rays out of 5"...this water-tight thriller, vigorously directed by Australian Phillip Noyce, is loaded with intrigue."
The Cold War may be over, but Hollywood hasn't let that get in the way of a good yarn - and this one's a beauty. Set in the present day, this is about Russian sleeper agents, spiders and Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), who may or may not be a double agent. Some of the dialogue's a touch corny, but this water-tight thriller, vigorously directed by Australian Phillip Noyce, is loaded with intrigue.
Jolie, who does some of her own stunts, is perfectly cast, making it look effortless as she transforms from a sweet blonde spy to a ball-breaking brunette. The role was originally written for a male - Tom Cruise was supposed to play Edwin Salt - but the gender switch gives the film an edge that it might not have otherwise had.
Noyce knows how to pace the action - it's fast but never jumbled, and, in a rare move for today, he tells a robust story in a nifty ninety minutes instead of an unjustified two hours.
He also provides an enjoyable audio commentary, plus a radio interview that's here as part of the bonus material. A couple of brief but entertaining featurettes - one detailing Salt's disguises and transformations - offer a tad more than just a cursory set of extras.
