The 355

By: MJ Asuncion

There is never a shortage of action-packed spy thriller films. Many of us are familiar with the long running Bond films, the Mission Impossible franchise and the Bourne films. These were all headed by male actors, which is typically more common than female-lead films in this genre. There has been a string of recent female-driven action films, such as Wonder Woman, The Old Guard, Black Widow, Gunpowder Milkshake and Atomic Blonde. All of which have seen varying levels of success, thus proving that there is an audience and a need. Female-centric films, in any genre, which portray positive and uplifting messages of solidarity, inclusivity and strength will always have a place in media and if they happen to have women who literally fight for a better world, it is all the more welcome. 

When The 355 was first announced in 2018 the ensemble espionage thriller teased an action-packed film headlined by five big-name female stars, including Jessica Chastain, who also originally came up with the concept and also served as one of its producers. The title is a reference to the real-life female operative who conveyed key information about British troop movements to American generals serving under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. One of the underlying themes of the film is the recognition of women, who were often overlooked, that worked behind the scenes and often put themselves in danger in order to protect the world from it. 

As with many films like The 355, the story revolves around a top-secret weapon which if in the wrong hands can be used as a global threat. Female operatives from different agencies must find a way to work together in order to keep the device away from the enemy. In this globe-trotting film CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Jessica Chastain) and former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Lupita Nyong’o) are forced to join forces with German BND agent Marie (Diane Kruger), along with the reluctant skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Penélope Cruz). The women are constantly on the run to and from danger as they fight against corrupt agencies and ruthless mercenaries. Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan) is a mysterious woman who is tracking their every move, but it is uncertain what side she’s on. The women of The 355 are either going to protect the world or die trying. 

In addition to the movie having a stellar female cast it also includes talented supporting actors with Sebastian Stan who plays Mace’s fellow CIA agent Nick, Édgar Ramírez as Colombian intelligence officer Luis Rojas and Jason Flemyng as the ruthless mercenary Elijah Clarke. The 355 truly is an ensemble film with every main lead sharing ample and equal screen time, but as one of the potential downsides of having a rich ensemble cast there wasn’t enough time to form fully fleshed-out characters. Jessica Chastain naturally captivates audiences with her well-executed delivery and screen presence and her fight sequences are some of the best in the film. Diane Kruger holds the most interesting storyline, giving a strong performance as the fierce, untrusting Marie. Lupita Nyong’o, Penélope Cruz and Bingbing Fan are all excellent in their roles, rounding out the fierce group of women who exemplify female empowerment. 

The film is directed by British film producer, director and screenwriter Simon Kinberg who is known for producing a number of successful blockbuster movies such as the X-Men films, Logan and Deadpool films. Though Simon has a long list of film and television producer credits, The 355 is only the second movie that he has directed. To no surprise Kinberg capably handles the fast-paced action with the help of cinematography and robust camerawork from Tim Maurice-Jones, dynamic scoring from Tom Holkenborg and extensive editing from John Gilbert and Lee Smith. 

The 355 successfully delivers the recipe for an action thriller, and gives the audience a solid and fun adventure, but it falls short of the blockbuster I had anticipated. Upon first hearing about the film and its cast, I had high expectations and perhaps this may have been my downfall. All of the actresses are charismatic in their performances and work well alongside one another, but the story just didn’t provide enough emotional depth to their characters that it was difficult to become too attached. The film didn’t fully utilize the immense and diverse talents of its leads and only gave us a peek at what kind of chemistry they truly could have. At times I found the pacing to be a bit difficult to follow with too much being thrown at once, which didn’t allow me to fully grasp the content. I am a huge fan and advocate of female-centric stories that encourage and empower women and I do love that this film emphasizes that these women from different backgrounds can come together, be supportive of one another and put aside their differences. One of my favorite lines in the film truly embodies this as Lin Mi Sheng says, “We all look different, speak different. But we are the same.” If you are a fan of any of these actresses, female-driven films or fun action espionage thrillers I would still recommend watching The 355. However, just sit back and enjoy it for what it is and don’t overthink the storyline.