Sentence:  Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real <WSD>message</WSD>: America's discomfort and its foes' glee. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An underlying theme or conclusion to be drawn from something.