The Tourist

Watery Venice, Italy, provides the setting as Johnny Depp, playing an American tourist seeking solace for his shattered heart, instead finds it in danger again after encountering a beautiful Interpol agent (Angelina Jolie). Little does the Yank know that the artful lady has gone to great lengths to arrange their “chance” meeting and is using him to trap a thief who happens to be her ex-lover. The film earned Golden Globe nods for Depp and Jolie.

Lauren
Rating: 3 out of 10

“The Tourist” should have been a good movie, maybe even great. Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in a caper through the romantic canals of Venice is a great set up. But something was missing. Chemistry, I guess.

The storyline was good enough. It starts in Paris where she is being watched by Interpol. She gets a letter from a mysterious man, hops on a train, and per his instructions picks up a look-a-like – Johnny. Depp plays a bumbling American math teacher, set against Angie’s cool, very together Brit. But from here it drags. The action never really takes off (and neither do those molasses-style boat chases) and the intrigue isn’t really that intriguing.

Johnny is better than Angie. He’s a bit charming and a little funny. She doesn’t have a moment of levity, though. It’s also odd to see her looking old and too thin.

Salt

After she’s accused of being a Russian sleeper spy, rogue CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) goes on the run, using every tactic, accent and disguise she knows to elude her pursuers, clear her name and protect her husband. Her supervisor, Winter (Liev Schreiber), buys her story, while counterintelligence officer Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) decidedly does not and will do anything to stop her in this fast-paced, intrigue-filled spy adventure.

Brian
Rating: 4 out of 10

Movies have come a long way from the action films of old. They’re faster, bigger, louder, and a lot more expensive! It certainly doesn’t mean they’re better. Call me crazy but I’ll take a good story and characters over $200 million dollar budgets any day. For example, if you go back and watch the original “Dirty Harry,” it seems ridiculously slow but somehow you get wrapped up in it. Why? It has a great story and an iconic hero and villain.

Salt is the total opposite. I didn’t really give two shits about these characters. The only thing that seems to differentiate one character from another is their level of ass kicking training and whether they had an accent or not. The plot is also pretty stale. I’d go into detail but I wouldn’t want to ruin……oh, fuck it. The story is that a Russian agency trains kids from 6- 12 years old to blend into American society and then releases them so they can get an education and then corrupt the United States from within. Why would anyone give a shit about what they learned when they were 10 years old? How would you keep the loyalty within the group? If you broke contact, wouldn’t they forget? And, if they were in America for that long, what motivation do they have for following through? Well, of course none of that is explained because the creaky plot would probably blow up. But, I have to say that Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber are very good and make the most out of a very thin script. Also, the action is top notch. I looked up the budget and it was $110 million and you see every bit of it on the screen. Chases, shoot outs, and fight scenes are choreographed and executed to perfection. But, in the end, it reminded me of the “Matrix” sequels: all style and no substance.