(USA) Never mess with Angelina Jolie: The powerhouse of an actress, who packs in as much acting chops (see A Mighty Heart and The Changeling) as she does kicking ass (see Tomb Raider, Wanted and Mr. & Mrs. Smith), has found another role that she can really sink her teeth into. This time, she plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who is on the run after being accused of being a Russian spy; but that’s just the start as Salt keeps audiences entertained with sufficient character development (rare in action films these days) and fun plot twists (some more predictable than others) to keep the whole movie moving along swiftly.

Everything seems to be dandy in Salt’s world, as we see her leading a simple, idyllic life with her anthropologist husband Michael (August Diehl). But everything turns topsy-turvy when a mysterious Russian national (Daniel Olbrychski) waltzes into the CIA’s cover operation office with a tale to tell. The guy spins a yarn that seems wholly pointless; until he gets around to informing the rest of the CIA crew that the president of Russia will be assassinated, and not only is the killer in the building, her name is Evelyn Salt. Salt, he claims, is the shining star of a Russian experiment that trains children from birth to infiltrate the American way of life as sleeper agents, ready to do Mother Russia’s bidding when activated. As would be expected of any national security agency worth their ahem, salt, this announcement causes a bit of a panic that sends our heroine hightailing it Mrs. Smith-style through the streets of Washington DC; primarily with the intent of rescuing her now hostage hubby, while simultaneously trying to stay alive long enough to clear her name—cue lots of bombastic but believable action sequences that Jolie reportedly performed herself.

Jolie is a joy to watch in the role. When she leapfrogs across the tops of vehicles on a highway, we’re with her. When she jumps from building to building looking like a tomboy with a backpack on speed, we’re with her. Whether she’s cool and aloof or bursting with pain and emotion, Jolie is the perfect match for the chameleon Salt, up until the truth gets laid out before us (Trivia: Tom Cruise, who was initially offered the role before the filmmakers rewrote it with Jolie in mind, would have been a mess here). Director Philip Noyce (Patriot Games) also keeps the whole proceedings tight and taut throughout, with a little help from Oscar-winning master cinematographer Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood)—the whole shebang keeps audiences guessing as to which side Salt’s really on until the final showdown. Anything but ubiquitous, this Salt is sweet, sexy and surprisingly good.