It takes a lot of qualities to play a spy on the big screen — charm, intensity, intimidation, and coolness, just to name a few. By those guidelines, it's hard to think of a better star to play a secret agent than Angelina Jolie. And in "Salt," Phillip Noyce's thriller costarring Andre Braugher, Liev Schreiber, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, she gets to do just that.
Like "The Gray Man," "Salt" is a story about a CIA operative on the run from her own agency. The twist is that Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is both the heroic protagonist and the deadly sleeper agent. Or is she? The film's plot is more than a little convoluted, and it certainly doesn't hesitate to embrace tropes and familiar twists, as the critics will happily tell you. And yet, while "Salt" is far from the tightest or the most original spy thriller on the market, Jolie's performance is entertaining enough to make the film worth watching.
"Salt" isn't the greatest spy movie ever made, or even the best one on this list, but it excels in the categories of style and charisma. In this genre, those count for a whole lot, and it's hard to be upset when Jolie's unmatched movie star status is leading the way.
