Salt is a 2010 American action thriller directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt, a CIA operative accused of being a Russian spy. The movie dives deep into espionage paranoia, identity twists, and breathless action, keeping the audience guessing about who Salt really is—and what her true motives are.
Detailed Summary
Introduction: Who is Evelyn Salt?
Evelyn Salt is introduced as a highly respected CIA agent, known for her loyalty and efficiency. She’s married to a German arachnologist, Mike Krause, and seems to lead a stable life. Things take a dark turn when a Russian defector named Orlov walks into CIA headquarters and claims Salt is, in fact, a sleeper agent trained since childhood by the Soviet Union to sabotage the United States.
Salt’s reaction is immediate and frantic. Despite proclaiming her innocence, she flees the building—sparking a full-scale manhunt. This is when the audience begins to ask: is she innocent, or is there more to her story?
On the Run: Framed or Guilty?
As Salt goes on the run, she displays exceptional skills: parkour-like escapes, strategic violence, and manipulation of her surroundings. Her motivations are obscured—she claims she’s escaping to protect her husband, but her increasingly lethal actions suggest otherwise. Meanwhile, CIA agent Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) and Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) struggle to figure out whether Salt is a traitor or a misunderstood patriot.
Russian Conspiracy and the President’s Life at Stake
Salt’s actions become more extreme. She infiltrates the Russian president’s funeral, seemingly assassinates him, and then gains access to the U.S. President in a heavily fortified bunker. It’s revealed that she was trained as part of a secret Soviet program and that Orlov was her handler. Her mission appears to be the triggering of nuclear war by hijacking the U.S. nuclear launch system.
But here’s where the movie flips again.
Plot Twist: The Truth About Salt
We discover that Salt was originally a child agent but had defected and lived a loyal American life for years. Her violent actions throughout the film were part of an elaborate effort to eliminate the real Russian sleeper agents embedded in the U.S. government—one of whom is Ted Winter, her supposed ally.
Winter, as the actual mole, murders the U.S. President in the secure bunker and attempts to initiate a nuclear strike. Salt ultimately kills him in a brutal fight and disables the nuclear system—saving millions.
⇢ VIRAL RIGHT NOW
Movie Ending (Full Spoilers)
After foiling the nuclear strike and killing Winter, Salt is captured and taken into custody. During interrogation, she finally admits everything—yes, she was trained as a Russian agent, but she changed. She reveals that her love for her husband and her adopted homeland is what turned her. The CIA doesn’t fully trust her, but Peabody begins to sense that Salt is, in fact, trying to make things right.
As she is transported in handcuffs, Peabody subtly lets her escape—giving her the chance to continue her mission to hunt down and destroy other sleeper agents still active in the U.S.
The film ends with Salt disappearing into the forest, a fugitive with a mission—still dangerous, but perhaps the last hope of rooting out a hidden enemy. It leaves the door open for sequels and cements her status as both a weapon and a possible savior.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Salt does not have any post-credits scenes. The film ends definitively with Evelyn escaping into the wilderness, leaving her future open to interpretation (or a sequel that, as of now, hasn’t been made).
Type of Movie
Salt is an espionage action thriller with elements of political intrigue and psychological mystery. Think The Bourne Identity meets Mission: Impossible, with a female lead and Cold War-era sleeper agent paranoia driving the plot.
Cast
- Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt
- Liev Schreiber as Ted Winter
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peabody
- Daniel Olbrychski as Orlov
- August Diehl as Mike Krause
- Corey Stoll as Shnaider
Film Music and Composer
The intense and pulse-pounding score was composed by James Newton Howard, known for his work on The Dark Knight (with Hans Zimmer), I Am Legend, and The Hunger Games. The soundtrack heightens the suspense and reinforces the emotional stakes of Salt’s journey.
Filming Locations
Salt was filmed across several key locations:
- Washington, D.C. – Real exteriors of federal buildings were used to add authenticity.
- New York City – Especially the scenes in the subway and apartment blocks.
- Albany, New York – Used for interior shots and the bunker scene.
- Russia – Flashbacks and childhood scenes were filmed to look like Soviet training camps, although much of this was recreated in studio.
These settings help ground the film in a recognizable political reality, enhancing the Cold War nostalgia and thriller atmosphere.
⇢ KEEP UP WITH THE TREND
Awards and Nominations
- Nominated for Best Action Movie Actress (Angelina Jolie) at the Teen Choice Awards
- Nominated for Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards
- Won Best Action or Adventure Film at the BMI Film & TV Awards for James Newton Howard’s score
Behind the Scenes Insights
- The role was originally written for Tom Cruise, but was reworked when Jolie showed interest. That change led to a complete rewrite of the character and script.
- Angelina Jolie performed many of her own stunts, including dangerous jumps and fight choreography.
- To prepare for the role, Jolie trained extensively in Krav Maga and gun handling.
- Multiple endings were shot, and test audiences influenced which one was used.
Inspirations and References
- Inspired by Cold War spy novels and real-life concerns about Russian sleeper agents.
- The story echoes themes from The Manchurian Candidate, La Femme Nikita, and The Bourne Identity.
- The original Salt script drew on real KGB training programs and American counterintelligence cases.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
- One alternate ending had Salt surrendering herself entirely to the authorities and facing a life sentence—too bleak for test audiences.
- Deleted scenes include:
- A longer flashback of Salt’s childhood training.
- Extended scenes showing her emotional conflict after her husband’s death.
- A short scene implying the survival of other sleeper agents for a possible sequel.
Book Adaptations and Differences
While not based on a book, Salt inspired a novelization after the film’s release. The novel goes deeper into Salt’s inner thoughts and her history, offering more backstory than the movie allows.
⇢ MOST SHARED RIGHT NOW
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Salt’s escape from CIA headquarters using homemade explosives in a bathroom.
- The reveal of Winter as the real mole.
- Salt jumping onto a moving truck from a bridge.
- Salt single-handedly taking down Orlov and his Russian sleeper team.
Iconic Quotes
- Salt: “You’re wrong about me. Everything you think you know, you’re wrong.”
- Winter: “You’re still the same little girl from Russia.”
- Peabody: “She had her chance to kill me. She didn’t.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The name “Salt” is never explained—some fans speculate it’s an acronym or codename with hidden meaning.
- The funeral assassination sequence mirrors scenes from Russian Cold War thrillers of the 1970s.
- A photo in Orlov’s hideout shows real KGB training facilities used in the 1980s.
Trivia
- Angelina Jolie requested that Salt not be sexualized; instead, her character was written to be lethal and emotionally complex.
- Jolie suffered minor injuries during filming due to her insistence on doing most of her own stunts.
- The film was originally titled The Far-Reaching Philosophy of Edwin Salt before the name change.
Why Watch?
Watch Salt if you enjoy:
- Fast-paced espionage with unpredictable twists
- A strong, capable female protagonist
- Spy thrillers that keep you guessing who’s good and who’s evil
- Cold War paranoia with a modern twist
Director’s Other Movies
- The Quiet American (2002)
- Patriot Games (1992)
- Clear and Present Danger (1994)
- Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
- The Giver (2014)