The 355

The storyline was very predictable, like all of the twists were given away in the trailer. However, the characters were well cast and the action was well coordinated. The women had good chemistry.

This movie is not as bad as all these bad reviewers say. It's an action movie, and a fairly decent one at that. It wasn't supposed to be up for movie of the year. So sit back, marvel at some kick ass seasoned actors (this comment directed at the ass who tried to make a crack about older women trying to look young and hot, smh), and just be entertained.

Wanna carve out two hours for this sucker? I've seen worse. I've seen Anna.

Imagine a world where wanted killers weave though bustling marketplaces brandishing weapons in plain view, attacking victims, and disappearing before anyone's the wiser. Or a hacker who puts Mr. Robot to shame, instantly and effortlessly breaking into a network with every live security camera in a major European city, just by twiddling her fingers over a keyboard. Welcome to The 355.

"It's a movie," you say. Of course. One must suspend disbelief for a hot minute. But that becomes quite a chore when you're given one believable character out of four. The tired espionage tropes become exhausted, and a comprehensive plot summary can be deduced after 30 minutes, less if you're keen on these things. Action sequences quick cut like a movie trailer. Stock villains. Cringe subtext. The litany of cinema transgressions runs long. And the chuckles and groans filling the theatre were proof.

But I've been harsh. The protagonists get decent backstory treatment and are forced to make difficult choices. The sound and music amp up the excitement nicely. There's some chemistry between the cast, and they do the best with what they're given. While Chastain seems out of place here, I'll shrug and acknowledge the effort since not much else was believable. And I wasn't bored watching it. I guess it comes down to how bored you are before you decide to watch it.

The 355 is modern commercialism. It has little to say and is painfully generic, but it plays up its female-centric cast, hoping to make up for its thin substance. Diverse representation is a positive, but when it's solely a marketing gimmick for an underwhelming project, it's tainted. In fact, The 355 is fairly insulting because female led movies often get these poor efforts. Specifically, the film is a collection of cliches. Stock characters, predictable heel turns, unrealistic MacGuffins, exaggerated stakes, and some deus ex machina for good measure. Plus, the acting is bland (outside of Nyong'o, who brings legitimate emotion).

Technically, the camerawork is excessively shaky and the editing is overcut, fruitlessly compensating for dull action. The production design is uninspired and limited. The audio design is involved but sometimes misuses action sounds. The music is forgettable and the effects are overly sanitized. Lastly, the direction lacks unity, creating a mundane and inconsistent experience. None of this is necessarily terrible, but The 355 just isn't great. Overall, it feels like a halfhearted ploy that capitalizes on good-natured people who want to support minority empowerment. Unfortunately for those viewers, The 355 does very little for the female cause.

Writing: 4/10 Direction: 4/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Acting: 6/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 5/10 Production Design: 4/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 6/10

Overall Score: 5.2/10.

I thought this was about as good as any recent spy action thriller. Good action, plot twists and ending. It's a bit predictable and formulaic and not very believable in many parts. Overall pretty entertaining.