Cast:
Screenplay:
Running Length: 2:04
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Violence, Language)
U.S Release Date: 1-07-22 (Wide)
Genre: Action/Thriller
The first week of January isn’t exactly known as the best
time of year for quality films when it comes to new releases, and sadly, The
355 doesn’t reverse this trend. Despite a talented cast and a somewhat
promising premise, the overreliance on spy clichés, one-dimensional characters,
and an overall lack of energy squander whatever potential this movie could have
had. To be fair, this is by no means a bad film, but it’s so generic and
mediocre that by the time you walk out the theater you’ll
probably have forgotten everything about it.
The
plot is fairly basic and straightforward; CIA operative Mace Browne (Jessica
Chastain) must team up with former MI6 agent Khadijah (Lupita Nyong’o),
German BDN agent Marie Schmidt (Diane Kruger), and Colombian DNI
agent/psychologist Graciela Rivera (Penélope Cruz) in order to stop a cryptic
device that has the potential to hack into any network system in the world from
getting into the hands of Elijah Clarke (Jason Flemyng), a ruthless arms
dealer. Along the way they encounter a
mysterious figure named Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan) who we’re never quite sure
if she’s an ally or a potential threat.
I’d
probably be more forgiving at the lack of originality if the action scenes were
filmed with any degree of competency. If you were to look at films like John
Wick, Atomic Blonde, or even last year’s Nobody, they’re not exactly the most
original productions out there, but they had style and energy when it came to
the action (not to mention the people behind the camera knew how to properly
film and choreograph them). Here the action sequences are so choppily edited
and uninspired that they fail to give the film a much needed jolt and barely
get the pulse racing. It is worth mentioning however, that there is one
sequence late in the proceedings that is genuinely suspenseful and took me by
surprise (it’s the only thing that actually surprised me in the entire film). It
lasts about five minutes and it only further highlights the wasted potential of
what this film could have been.
If there’s one thing that prevents
the film from being a complete outright bore, it’s the solid performances from
Chastain, Nyong’o, Kruger, and Cruz. Although they’ve all given better
performances in other (and quite frankly, superior) films, their level of
commitment is what makes this film watchable. It’s a shame the script couldn’t
give them better material to work with. Sadly, while the four actresses work
well together, none of their characters are well developed and lack any sort of
definition beyond just being “the leader,” “the computer specialist,” “the
regular person,” and “the loner.” Sebastian Stan who plays Nick Fowler, another
CIA operative and the partner of Chastain's Mace, mostly fades into the
background and practically sleepwalks through the role. Bingbing Fan doesn’t really appear until the
second half of the film, and while she’s fine, she’s not onscreen long enough
to leave much of an impression.
It’s easy to see what the studio was hoping for when they greenlit this project. This could have been the new Mission: Impossible had this been in the right hands, but The 355 lacks the high-octane thrills, compelling characters, and genuine surprises that make the Mission: Impossible films so entertaining. What we get instead are flat characters, poorly executed fight scenes, and a predictable plot all wrapped up in a generic package. And while I was never bored watching this film, that’s not enough to justify seeking this out in theaters, especially in this day and age where there are far better options in the comfort of your own home thanks to streaming.
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