Would have been weird and probably kind of silly. It's not weird or silly anymore, and that's one of the most enjoyable evolutions in film: the female action star.
Sigourney Weaver pioneered it in 1986's "Aliens," essentially playing Arnold Schwarzenegger with a maternal instinct, then Linda Hamilton carried it to the buff level in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" with Arnold himself.
Today, Angelina Jolie sets the standard, whether it's a comic book actioner like Lara Croft or a gun-for-hire like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and her latest, "Salt."
What Lynn calls skinny I call sinewy, and while I don't think Jolie could whip equally-martial men twice her size in real life, I'm not sure Daniel Craig and Matt Damon could either. Doesn't matter. Act the part, look the part, believe the movie.
Jolie is tough and efficient as Evelyn Salt, a decorated CIA agent who goes rogue and on the run after being accused by a defector of being a Russian assasin, trained in youth and planted in the U.S. until the orders come in.
Is she or isn't she? The fast-paced path to the truth barely gives Salt, or the audience, a minute to catch their breath, but it's not an endless chase scene without a brain. Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor are convincing CIA colleagues plotting her next move, and Director Philip Noyce and writer Kurt Wimmer provide enough smart twists to sustain the intrigue.
And Jolie throws in just enough warmth -- a last look at her dog, for instance -- to remind us she's a woman with a heart, not to be messed with. Four Hearts.
THE BETTER HALF -- I had to chuckle when the young male usher who took our tickets to "Salt" said, "Good choice. Angelina's still got it."
Yes, young, middle and old males alike will be unanimous in thinking Angelina's still got it. I actually think Angelina Jolie is one of the most versatile actresses working today. She can pull off serious roles like "Changeling" and "A Mighty Heart" or tough guy thrillers.
But while she's definitely nailed the attitude for action, she needs to add some muscle to be truly believable in this genre.
In "Salt," Jolie looks like she would weigh 90 pounds soaking wet, and realistically, someone that size would have trouble taking down 250-pound pure muscled men.
Of course, "Salt" is not real life, and today's special effects and stunt-laden idea of spy espionage lets agents fall 30 feet without a scratch and dodge hundreds of bullets without a nick.
CIA operative Evelyn Salt (Jolie) becomes a marked woman when she's accused of being a Russian double agent. Her training kicks in full throttle as she tries to elude her CIA bosses (Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor), FBI agents, the police and underground Soviet operatives.
Director Philip Noyce ("Patriot Games") tries to keep you wondering if Salt really is a mole working against the U.S., but the premise is pretty predictable and a retread of many we've seen before. But for all "Salt's" faults, Jolie makes it entertaining. Three-and-a-half Hearts.
Until next time, keep walking down the aisle ... Married to the Movies.
