The intent of the United Nations — one of the world’s largest diplomatic conglomerates — is to sustain civil peace and obedience through discussion rather than violence.

U.N. ambassadors’ weapons are words, not bullets, and to make their intent uniform across hundreds of languages, the United Nations depends on the interpreter to bridge the cultural gap.

Film veteran Sydney Pollack’s “The Interpreter” shows what may happen when words turn into underground killings of those who speak the truth — trapping government mediators in their deadly game of world espionage.

Native Australian Nicole Kidman wonderfully succeeds in her role as South African Silvia Broome, a U.N. speech analyst and assembly translator who happens to overhear a plot to assassinate a tyrannical African president at his address in front of the council.

What follows is a series of shadowy cover-ups and attempted assassinations as Kidman and Secret Service agent Tobin Keller, played by Sean Penn, try to blow the cover off an international conspiracy where no one’s loyalties lie where they’re expected.

Pollack extends his reign as a directing guru with his immaculate understanding for the balance of a film — the movie begins as a suspenseful thriller and stays consistent throughout.

Where many more amateur directors may have felt inclined to trade in the heightened anticipation of suspense for a “Die Hard” montage halfway through, Pollack delivers a uniform feel of darkness — an urban shadow which blankets the streets of New York and clouds the minds of those who are trapped in this high-risk, high-profile cat-and-mouse chase.

What is equally as impressive is Pollack’s restraint with the Kidman-Penn relationship. This dynamic could have been cheapened with a campy, Hollywood love scene, yet he articulates the relationship with an artist’s hand, revealing the mutual respect and understanding between the two.

The film’s imagery is pieced together with the same impeccability — his shots are streamlined and fast-paced with the metallic, concrete glare of the city, but they easily sublime into the slower, natural softness of self-interpretation.

Kidman and Penn both deliver genuine, energetic performances reflective of their experienced caliber — roles in which they obviously fully educated and immersed their intellect and emotions to give two of the most convincing performances in recent years.

“The Interpreter” fulfills what it promises to audiences — it is a battle of wit and perseverance with brutal accuracy, yet is still masterful enough to yield to the human frailty of its warriors.