Most Hollywood blockbusters don’t require A-list celebrities to succeed anymore. Sequels, superheroes and teenage book franchises seem to dominate the market these days, leaving folks like Tom Cruise to ponder whether “Jersey Shore” could have a better box office performance.

Yet when it comes to opening action movies, Angelina Jolie is one of the few exceptions. The “Wanted” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” star is the only focus of the marketing materials for “Salt,” a ridiculous espionage thriller in the same-vein as the “Bourne” franchise.

At one point, Cruise was poised to star in the title role. I don’t think anyone believes he could have propelled the film to a $35 million opening weekend.

Box office, of course, doesn’t matter to the quality or entertainment value of a particular film. But in the case of “Salt,” the star power of Jolie is the only major draw. Her sexy, hardboiled persona makes a silly plot about Russian spies infiltrating all levels of U.S. government tolerable.

Recent real world headlines add a hint of relevance to “Salt,” although the trained-since-birth Russian spies in the film also appear to be superhuman and capable of accessing locations Joe Biden isn’t allowed.

Regardless, the plot is terribly simple: CIA operative Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is accused of being a spy by a Russian informant. Her boss (Liev Schreiber) believes she’s innocent, but another government suit (the great Chiwetel Ejiofor of “Children of Men” and “American Gangster”) has doubts. Salt doesn’t stick around for questioning, even using a fire-extinguisher to craft a makeshift rocket launcher to escape her colleagues.

Is Salt really a Russian spy? As much as the film teases the idea, deep down, in your heart, you know the truth.

What matters here are car chases, fist fights, assassination attempts, dog rescues and ridiculous plot twists. “Salt” makes no attempt at realism, and Jolie experiences several scenarios that would cripple a regular human. While the movie logic careens out of control, Jolie looks like a natural (except for her ever-changing hair style. Take that, Matt Damon!).

Ejiofor and Schreiber are incapable of giving bad performances. If only they had more to do. They sit around waiting for Jolie, fire a few bullets, and then argue about her good-bad status.

Director Phillip Noyce (“The Quiet American,” “The Bone Collector”) displays reasonable expertise with the shaky-action camerawork that has become standard since “The Bourne Identity.” If only the story held together. The action is passable, and Jolie is as alluring as ever, but it’s all nearly forgotten after the credits roll.

Still, if Jolie headlines a sequel, we’ll probably all be there.

Grade: B