The 355 Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A super-powered flash drive turns a bunch of women into international spies who bicker and shoot guns, mostly at men, to save the world from…itself?

🍿 The 355: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Theft of the Century

The movie opens in Colombia, where a powerful decryption program drive is being transferred. Criminal mastermind Elijah Clarke double-crosses the parties involved, leading to a chaotic scene where Colombian DNI agent Luis Rojas steals the device. Rojas seeks to sell the drive to the highest bidder, setting off a global race.

Paris Gone Wrong

CIA operative Mason ‘Mace’ Brown, accompanied by her partner Nick Fowler, heads to Paris to secure the drive. However, their operation is disrupted by German BND agent Marie Schmidt, who steals the money intended for the exchange. In the ensuing chaos, Nick is confronted by Clarke and later found dead, sparking Mace’s personal mission for revenge and justice.

Assembling the Team

Mace, now rogue, recruits retired MI6 operative and cybersecurity expert Khadijah Adiyeme. Together, they track Marie and Rojas, leading them to Graciela Rivera, a DNI psychologist who was supposed to receive the drive from Rojas. The women reluctantly join forces, realizing they are stronger together in the face of a common enemy. The unlikely team begins a globetrotting adventure, navigating betrayals and deadly encounters.

Shanghai Showdown

The team traces the drive to an illegal black-market auction in Shanghai. There, Mace is shocked to discover that Nick is alive and working for Clarke. The situation becomes increasingly complex as a mysterious Chinese woman, Lin Mi Sheng, intervenes, revealing that the drive was bait to expose the criminals. This sets up a tense alliance as the women unite to prevent the device from falling into the wrong hands.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Mace (Jessica Chastain): A determined CIA agent who assembles a team of international spies to recover a dangerous weapon.
• Marie Schmidt (Diane Kruger): A skilled and fiercely independent German BND agent initially at odds with Mace but later joins forces.
• Khadijah Adiyeme (Lupita Nyong’o): A former MI6 agent and cutting-edge computer specialist who provides vital tech support to the team.
• Graciela Rivera (Penélope Cruz): A skilled Colombian psychologist with no field experience, thrown into the world of espionage.
• Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan): A mysterious Chinese agent who initially tracks the group but later becomes an ally against a common enemy.
• Nick Fowler (Sebastian Stan): Mace’s former partner and lover, who is revealed to be a traitor working for the enemy.
• Elijah Clarke (Jason Flemyng): A ruthless criminal mastermind seeking to acquire a world-threatening decryption program.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Mace: “Hey Nick, remember that story that they told us about in training? Washington’s female spy during the Revolution. Agent 355 what’s they called her.” – Mace recalls the story of Agent 355, a female spy from the American Revolution, highlighting the film’s namesake and theme of female empowerment in espionage.
• Mace: “Someone knew her name. They just didn’t want the world to know it.” – Mace reflects on the secrecy surrounding Agent 355’s identity, suggesting a deliberate erasure of female contributions to history.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $75,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $14,570,455
• Worldwide Gross: $27,827,745

💥 The 355 Reviews

Personal Review

I really wanted to love The 355, especially with such a stellar cast. The idea of a female-led spy team is awesome! But honestly, the story just felt…flat. The action scenes were okay, but nothing I hadn’t seen a million times before. I did like the dynamic between the characters, especially Lupita and Jessica’s, but it wasn’t enough to make the movie memorable. The twist with Sebastian Stan was predictable, and the ending felt rushed. Overall, a disappointing watch. I will not be watching this again.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of action thrillers”
  • “Viewers interested in female-led ensemble casts”
  • “Those who enjoy spy movies with globe-trotting adventures”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Violence”
  • “Language”
  • “Some disturbing images”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “Despite a powerhouse cast, ‘The 355’ is a disappointingly generic spy thriller that fails to capitalize on its talented leads, offering little in the way of originality or excitement.
• The Guardian: “The 355 is a slick but ultimately hollow action flick, with capable performances hampered by a predictable plot and uninspired direction. The globe-trotting locations look pretty, but the film lacks a unique identity.
• IGN: “A serviceable but unremarkable spy thriller elevated slightly by its ensemble cast. The action is competently staged, but the story is predictable and lacks genuine surprises, making it a forgettable entry in the genre.

Audience Reactions

Some viewers found the action entertaining despite the predictable plot.: The cast’s chemistry was often cited as a positive aspect, with several people enjoying their interactions.

A portion of the audience felt the movie was unfairly judged due to its female-centric cast.: Several reviews noted that if the cast were male, the film would be more successful.

Overall Consensus: Mixed to negative, with critics and audiences finding the film generic, predictable, and ultimately uninspired, despite a talented cast.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The title ‘The 355’ refers to Agent 355, a code name for a female spy during the American Revolution whose identity remains unknown.”
• “Jessica Chastain championed the project and brought together the ensemble cast, serving as both star and producer.”
• “Several of the fight scenes were choreographed to highlight the unique skills and backgrounds of each character.”

🖥️ How to Watch The 355?

The 355 is available for streaming on platforms such as Peacock. You can also rent or purchase the movie on demand via services like Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for cable and satellite availability as well.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The 355, you might like these similar films:

• Charlie’s Angels (2019): Features a team of female spies working together on a global mission, emphasizing action and camaraderie.
• Ocean’s 8 (2018): An all-female ensemble cast pulls off a complex heist, highlighting teamwork and individual skills.
• Atomic Blonde (2017): Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton is sent to Berlin to retrieve a priceless dossier, and must partner with a spy (James McAvoy) to survive the deadly game of double agents.
• Red Sparrow (2018): Dominika Egorova is drafted against her will to become a “Sparrow,” a trained seductress. But Dominika’s life takes an unexpected turn when she meets CIA agent Nathaniel Nash.

🛒 The 355 Related Products

• Mission: Impossible – 6-Movie Collection [Blu-ray]: While ‘The 355’ aimed for a similar action franchise vibe, this collection showcases a consistently high standard of spy action, offering breathtaking stunts and intricate plots.
• Atomic Blonde [Blu-ray]: Charlize Theron delivers a knockout performance in this stylish and brutal spy thriller, offering a similar female-led narrative with a darker edge and more memorable action sequences.
• Marvel’s Black Widow [Blu-ray]: Dive into the action-packed world of Natasha Romanoff. As a trained spy and assassin, Black Widow offers thrilling combat sequences, a captivating backstory, and a deep exploration of loyalty and sacrifice.
• The Bourne Identity [Blu-ray]: If you enjoy action movies with compelling plots, intricate mysteries, and thrilling adventures, this movie is a good fit.

🎧 Soundtrack

The 355 features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Dima Labes” – performed by Klay BBJ and Rayan
• “Super Clean” – performed by N/A

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

The 355 — Why Hollywood’s Female Action Films Flop | Anatomy Of A Failure

Ever wondered why some action movies just don’t click? This video breaks down ‘The 355’ to see what went wrong, and honestly, it’s super insightful if you’re into film analysis!

The 355 – Movie Review

Thinking about watching ‘The 355’ but not sure? Jeremy Jahns gives a quick, honest review that will help you decide, and I think he makes some really good points!

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