'The 355' is loaded with star power but adds up to less than the sum of its parts

Showcasing a thrown-together international team of female spies, "The 355" mostly feels like the pilot for a TV series, just with an inordinately good cast. Any movie in this genre that name-checks James Bond can't be all bad, but in terms of justifying a trip to the theater, nor is it good enough.

Spanning the globe in pursuit of a high-tech weapon with potentially devastating applications, the film certainly approximates the formula of franchises like Bond and Jason Bourne, with the mandate to filter that through female characters.

The international flavor is similarly calculated, and therein lies part of the problem. Lacking the spark of innovation, the premise comes across as less distinguished by gender than simply generic -- checking off boxes for the marketing department without breaking an iota of new ground.