**While The 355 might not have been a stand-out blockbuster of a film, it still was enjoyable.**

The 355 hit almost every line of dialogue and every typical character type you have seen in a spy movie but still found a way to entertain its audience, even if it was only slightly entertaining. The cast was stellar, and the performances were solid. Unfortunately, the 355 stumbles with a stale, unimaginative script that is incredibly predictable and keeps the peril and danger from feeling very perilous or dangerous. I didn’t finish the movie feeling I had wasted my time, but I couldn’t say I would recommend it. Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, and the rest of the cast seemed to have fun working on this project together, and their chemistry was entertaining. Still, the trite dialogue kept all of it from being great. I wish The 355 had been trusted with a bigger budget and a more experienced director. It had enough strengths that even with all its flaws, it was a decent film, but it could have easily been a great movie.

This movie is pretty bad. Not because of the concept or the leads or anything of the sort. Because of the script and directing.

I want to state that all the lead actresses here are fantastic and really held the film together. They really made me want more out of this despite it falling apart on the story side. I like their chemistry and the emotion they brought to the screen.

I did not however enjoy the predictable plot and stupid writing that they gave these characters. It hurts how much the script brought this movie down. They did not give valid reasons for certain things that I felt could have used more explanation, and instead wasted the exposition on needless things in the latter half of the film. They could have resolved this movie halfway but didn't because... I don't know, they didn't tell me why they couldn't. No explanations for the things that matter in the plot.

The shakey-cam too in the action scenes was terribly uncomfortable to watch. It gets some good wide shots of the action, but it cuts way too soon to take it in. There were some elements of the fights I liked but just not as many to make a good action/spy film. Not to mention the fact that the ending is so bad, not because it builds to another film. But because it leaves me questioning the motives of the characters.

Overall, this film is a mess from behind the camera, because I wanted more of this team. But I doubt we will get to see them again from this poor first attempt.

**3/10**

The comments I've seen online have been from men either saying this movie is bad because of the boring all-female leads or the movie is great because of the super attractive all-female leads. No on both counts. I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about spy movies or action movies but I thoroughly enjoyed this! I loved the concept of having 5 international female spies come together - well 4 plus Graciela, whose character was equally as fun to watch. I don't think it's too logical that there's a computer chip that can destroy the world, but maybe I shouldn't speak too soon..

I went to an early morning viewing at the cinema for my birthday and hadn't realised it was the senior showing. The gasps from the older ladies sitting around me whenever any of the women pulled out guns and started taking down the men.. spectacular. Even better was the lady after the movie ended who said "wow, talk about GIRL POWER!"
I'm so here for female led action movies, this was so great! And I'm gutted at how much this has flopped in theatres because the ending (the "goodbye" between Marie and Mason) clearly was making room for a sequel. I want more! I want to know more about their backstories and their lives. I was feeling the same vibe between Marie and Mason as I did about Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock's characters in Ocean 8. I want to see what's next for all 5 of these ladies!

The cast do great, just a shame the rest of 'The 355' isn't up to their level.

Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong'o, Penélope Cruz and Fan Bingbing all produce, all of them give enjoyable performances and never became uninteresting, irritating or whatever to me. They are the film's major plus. I'm struggling for other positives, cinematography at a push?

Unfortunately, I came away from watching feeling underwhelmed. The second half really drags, not helped by an extremely lame 'twist'. The first half isn't perfect but does hold potential, once the main bunch eventually team up it's more interesting. The editing is a little iffy, too.

There are quite a few talky scenes that aren't worthwhile at all, especially early on with Chastain and Sebastian Stan. Things improve when the action sequences get underway, not that they are anything extraordinary but what we see is satisfactory; it's the bits in between that let this 2022 release down.

6/10, despite the well performing cast; who almost made me give this 7/10.

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"The 355 holds excellent performances from all people involved - especially Jessica Chastain (It: Chapter Two) and Lupita Nyong'o (Us). However, the generic screenplay, poor dialogues, and barely developed characters turn a film with much potential into another disappointment from Simon Kinberg (The New Mutants).

The action sequences actually include interesting choreography, but the use of quick cuts and shaky cam doesn't always work favorably. The narrative is loaded with the usual formulas of the respective genre, and some attempts to approach the theme of feminism efficiently fall flat.

Personally, it's saved by the fact that it was primarily filmed in real locations, helping with the entertainment levels."

Rating: C