Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o and Bingbing Fan are stunning.
In South America, mercenaries try to sell an impressive weapon. It is an electronic chip that allows access to any electronic device – from an aircraft’s navigation system, for example, to a missile.
The CIA is quickly put on the spot and delegates Mason (Jessica Chastain) and Nick (Sebastian Stan) to delight the chip during its sale. But Nick disappears. Maria (Diane Kruger) who works for the BND, the German secret service, is also on the spot and is systematically in the way of Mason.
The latter then contacts Khadijah (Lupita Nyong’o), IT specialist from MI6, so that she can join her. Graciela (Penélope Cruz), Colombian DNI agent and psychologist, and Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan), Chinese services agent, join the group.
Together, the quintet is particularly effective. Each of the women who make it up has specific skills that complement those of the others. But that’s not what strikes you. Most impressive is the way in which the feature film written by Theresa Rebeck and Simon Kinberg, who also directs it, credibly stages women of action in scenes that have nothing to envy a similar film “male”. The stunts and the fights are, moreover, of a refreshing realism.
It is perfectly possible to do a totally feminist reading of “The 355” whose title refers to Agent 355, an anonymous spy who worked for the American rebels during the War of Independence. The male characters are shown in this film as the female characters usually are, that is, in the background. Thus, Khadijah’s partner stays at home and cooks, while Nick is revealed to be weak and a tad inconsistent.
The table is set, at the end, for a continuation of the adventures of the shock quintet … what we hope with all our hearts as “Les 355” is rhythmic, efficient, funny and intelligent. Hat.