Angelina Jolie as 007 Agent Salt

August 1, 2010 6:53 PM MST 

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Jolie as the New Bond, Not Bond Girl

Angelina Jolie is Evelyn SALT - a CIA agent with a Russian past. A new James Bond who jumps out of buildings, on to moving trucks and strong arms agents like they were silly putty.

007 Salt on the move....

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And unlike 007, Jolie has a husband, a German arachnologist, and his safety is paramount. Here’s why James Bond never marries, pretty much through all of the film, he is her main concern, and why she needs to stay on the run.

Watching Jolie escape the bad guys which are both American and Russian is an exhilarating roller coaster ride, and her bag of tricks includes knowing about the secret sauce of spiders and being able to get herself out of the most amazing situations with the acumen of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Nothing is predictable in this film, which is bound to have sequels, and that is great for Jolie. 

SALT is well made with a lot of star wattage, and the kind of action thriller that Jolie likes to work with. But it still seems hard to believe how such a wiry agent can leap onto massive trucks and take down the bad guys without much muscle. Perhaps Jolie will beef it up for SALT II, where it is certain that her German husband's past will surface. After all, he sprung her from North Korean interrogators.

Alas, the Cold War between Russia and the USA lives on and has become hot. Take for example the use of the name Salt in a film which has the two superpowers going for the panic button. The historic SALT - Strategic Arms Limitation Talks - were about limiting offensive weaponry. Such intrigues are certainly nothing new for the spy who came in from the cold and goes out again.  But when a popular film like this skirts heavy hitting topics about nuclear armament with opening scenes in North Korea and closing scenes in the White House, it is not only fun. Its a bit scary.