“Salt” is one of those films that is easily spoiled, so rather than go that route, I’ll keep it basic. The story hinges on the question of Who Is Evelyn Salt. When a Russian defector accuses her of being a covert Russian spy, the highly trained and extremely lethal Salt goes on the run – from everyone. We know she has a heart because she cares about her husband and her little dog. But we also learn that she can be as cold as ice, and isn’t afraid to leave a trail of bodies in order to accomplish her objective. (And this film boasts a higher body count than the average episode of “24″!) No one, including the viewer, is ever completely sure where her loyalty lies for a good portion of the film. For some, this will be a deal breaker in accepting her as a viable protagonist. For me, it worked. It’s a precarious path for a filmmaker and actress to take, but if approached as a spy story with action rather than out-and-out action entertainment, “Salt” is a success.

Driving that success is director Phillip Noyce, who has never been more spot-on. (Noyce and Jolie worked together previously on 1999′s “The Bone Collector”.) Although Noyce has certainly failed to impress with past efforts such as “The Saint” and “Clear and Present Danger”, his visual style and pacing is right on target this time, as he blends the precision of Brian De Palma with the pulse-pounding aesthetic of Paul Greengrass. No shot is wasted, and everything is motivated. Noyce doesn’t opt for flair such as color tinting and chop-happy editing, instead concentrating on making sure his geography is clear and the action is followable. This sounds simple and basic, but it is not. It is an element that confounds a great many directors – including some rather noteworthy ones. Noyce’s effort in this department is particularly appreciated during a Washington DC-based multi-level freeway chase sequence. Although this genre of film is typically not singled out for directorial prizes, when awards season rolls around early next year, I do hope Noyce is considered for his top-notch work on this film.

Assassination attempts of global leaders and international conspiracies of the highest order motivate the plot. At the heart of it all are good old Cold War Russians – and kudos to “Salt” for having the guts to actually make the villain non-domestic. Hollywood has become so ragingly politically correct in the past few decades that the last time the villain of one of their A-list spy films wasn’t a rogue American agent or someone working from Within may be 1994 with James Cameron’s “True Lies”. Yes, it could be argued that “Salt” does play it somewhat safe in this department, making me eat my words, but in comparison to what’s gone before in the recent past, I’ll stand by the statement.

In a strange bit of meta-synergy, Russian spies are once again making the news in the United States. Also, Jolie has once again surged in the tabloid/celeb news, this time in a favorable light. Clearly, everything has conspired to put “Salt” in the right place at the right time – something Jolie’s title character may only be able to wish for. Jolie herself can finally take great pride in not only this action role, but more importantly, in the film built around her. Hopefully, especially now that Bond’s cinematic future is unclear, Salt will return.