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Belishia
Reviews
Salt (2010)
Salt : A 'turncoat'?
My comments last night was erroneously deleted by myself so to paraphrased.
Evelyn Salt, trained by the best Russian intelligence and planted by her Russian masters at the CIA, makes the FBI, CIA, Secret Service looks like lab-rats. Oh, forget about the NYPD boy -scouts.
Once she (was instructed by her Russian master) starts, she's unstoppable. And her target wasn't ragtags or any VIPs but Presidents of Russia and the US President.
Her extraordinary skills in hand-2-hand combat like Lara Croft of Tomb Raider, her acerbic mind faster than speedy Gonzalez (or like McGuyver) in makeshift explosives made of home cleaning materials, fire-extinguisher,etc and her elusiveness from being caught makes her one of the most formidable operative like Captain John Patrick Mason played by Sean Connery in The Rock.
When the Russian President pay his respect for the US Vice President's funeral in US soil, heavily escorted and guarded, Salt managed to "assassinate"(she only tranquilized) him, successfully.
How this super-trained chick makes the world's most sophisticatedly protected fortress - 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue like Rambo fighting in the jungles was awe-inspiring,unbelievable, like a ruthless hunter poaching its' prey - successfully.
But Salt was out to save the US President from the hands of her Russian compatriot, unknown to her, was her superior, CIA agent,Ted Winter, who has an upperhand in managing and providing security for the US President at the White House when his mission was to create a nuclear war between the US and the Arab world and Russia causing a 3rd world war. And only Salt was the only person who could stop him.(this part resembles 'The Sum Of All Fears')
"They took everything from me" spouted Salt to her CIA superior, Agent Peabody alluding how the Russian spymaster orchestrated her parents 'murder' under the guise of a car accident as she was the only survivor secretly indoctrinated and trained and how his spymaster shot her husband in front of her eyes - she wanted something - REVENGE against the Russians intelligence.
This movie has some resemblance with 'US Marshall'(Tommy Lee Jones & Wesley Snipes).
Salt did not assassinate the Russian President, only 'sedated' him with extracts from a spider (she may have learned this from her husband). And having the chance to shoot Agent Peabody, she did not. The same scene happened in US Marshall where a CIA operative (Wesley Snipes) framed for murder and on the run, having a clear shot at Deputy US Marshall, did not shoot him in his head but shoulder. The same instances begs one similar question : If a fugitive on the run did not shoot and kill one of their most formidable and ruthless pursuer,- WHY?! ( there might be persuasive reasons to believe that the fugitive may be innocent)
This 90 minute movie is filled with non-stop suspense, great actions, a worthwhile a 2nd and 3rd watch. I am giving this movie 8.5/10 *
The tagline catch : "Who is Salt?" Answer : Salt is everywhere. She probably has written her own commenteries here under a handle. After all, who could guess Salt's next step. I could not, but 1 thing for sure - expect a sequel. That is guaranteed. She's still on the run like 'The A Team', remember?
Leap of Faith (1992)
An excellent movie
I couldn't believe when the overall ratings for this movie falls under 6/10*.
I would not comment in details as it has been deliberated by viewers but just paraphrasing.
Steve Martin, who plays Jonas Nightengale, has the most effervescent, highly-entertaining role as a fake faith-healer who professed the ability of miraculous healing through the Lord Jesus Christ.
When 'Stevemobile'(I am referring to his coach) broke down in a small town, he & his troops of charlatans-underlings attempted to make a fortune out the town-folks'(mostly hillbillies) pockets - by finagling them to donate for the sake of spiritual faith that he promised them, using Jesus' as a pawn in this highly charismatic faith healing 'game'.
This movie shows in style and entertainment, how the snake-oil-salesman,Jonas, works in sophisticated knavery with his gangs, deploying his sidekicks to collect information and data by befriending the not-too-smart townfolks and then passing the details to Jonas beforehand at the multiple sessions of miraculous healings conducted in a huge tent, and when the 'miraculous-healer' revealed some of the 'secrets' infos of certain persons, they thought he was sent by God, selflessly unaware that those shills/sidekicks sent to befriend these poor folks was agents of Jonas.
When the criminal dossiers of Jonas, from smoking weeds, defrauding bank-cheques, and others was revealed by the no-nonsense, Sheriff Will Braverman, played by Liam Neeson debunking his miraculous acts as nothing but smokes-and-mirrors, which resulted some of his believers who was about to exit his 'show', - Jonas came up with another state-of-the-art trick - this time admitting what the Sheriff said about his past criminal records were true. He then proclaimed that through his sins, came repentance, and as a repented man, he received a special gift from God - now, drawing and winning the attendees faith AGAIN! After conning the hard-earned pecuniary from the rain-deprived townfolks, the most touching moments arrived when Jonas was challenged to a nigh mission-impossible task, this time to heal a kid who was relying on a pair of crutches since having a vehicle accident years back.
Jonas reluctantly undertake this mission, knowing that to cure the kid was as impossible as pulling a car up Mount Everest. Having lost the hope of recovery, this kid never lost 1 thing - FAITH. He careened his path to the portable statue of Jesus, eking-out every effort and kissed the Lord's feet.
Unbelievably, this kid dropped his crutches and began to walk. Jonas, was dumbfounded for a while but quick to claim another victory where he shouted 'It's a miracle, meeting with a standing, thunderous ovation from the crowds.
This time, for Jonas, spiritual conscience implicated and indicted him- hard, knowing only God/Jesus could perform such miracle.
While his entourage(they thought the act was set-up, a masquerade) knows that using this kid miraculous recovery would be a surefire launchpad making millions, an incontrovertible guilt haunts Jonas as he packed his bags, hitchhiked a passing truck and left this town.
In the passenger seat, another miracle happened when rains fell to this rain-deprived town and Jonas jovially shouted "Thank You, Jesus" I cannot remember all the parody, humorous sarcasms, the clever word-plays of this movie but I can say this movie deserves at least 8/10 and I am giving it 10/10.
Yip Man chin chyun (2010)
I Want A Refund
While I am not that familiar with Hong-Kong actors, upon recognizing the face of the chap who played a thuggish-bully(which I dislike from the start till the end) in IP-Man2, in this movie, I knew that his character would be a flop and I was right!!! This chap who plays Samo Hung's student/protégé/worker in harassing other masters onto paying protection fees who teaches Kung-Fu in IP Man2, has a belligerent, thuggish, haughty character.
The weird thing is, now that that this chap plays IP Man, the same character he played in IP Man2 almost resembled the character he played as Ip Man in this movie.
Compare with Donnie Yen who was charismatic, this fella who plays Ip Man has the most mundane persona.
Not only was this movie ain't interesting enough compare with Ip Man 2, you get the wrong man for the right movie!!! And this person could hardly be an actor.
When my friends asked me "would you consider to watch a sequel", I told them "I want a refund!!!!!!!!!!!!!"