Before you even ask, yes, this is an actual movie that will be releasing. Previously titled (re)Assignment, The Assignment stars Michelle Rodriguez as Frank Kitchen, a hitman who undergoes a gender reassignment surgery against his will. Obviously, a revenge killing spree ensues against the mobsters who ordered the typically elective surgery.
Inspired by Denis Hamill 40 year old screenplay, this riff on Face/Off looks as bad as it sounds. Joining a long list of controversial and offensive films, it’s safe to say this will be a great watch if you’re doing a “so bad it’s good” B-movie (or maybe even C-Movie) night, and we can assume it’s going to piss off a lot of people.
Sadly, this is a case of a once great director losing his touch (we commend Tarantino’s plans to quit after 10 films), with genre aficionado Walter Hill helming the flick. It’s sad to see a director like Hill, once such a visionary and passionate storyteller known for The Warriors and the hilarious Eddie Murphy vehicle 48 Hrs., fall into the depths of lowly exploitation cinema destined to live in On Demand limbo.
However, Hill did achieve something incredible here; somehow convincing reputable actors to follow him on such a perilous path, most of them knowing full well the movie would eventually receive serious backlash. Other than Michelle Rodriguez, the cast includes Tony Shalhoub (of Monk fame), Anthony LaPaglia and Sigourney Weaver as the psychotic doctor who performs the unwanted surgery.
Early reviews suggest that the film is terrible, but we’ll make sure of it when the film comes out. So far, no release date has been announced, but don’t be surprised if it suddenly becomes available on OnDemand without any fanfare whatsoever.
When it does, kick back, turn your brain off, and hopefully you’ll at least be able to appreciate the ludicrous premise. If you hate it, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Watch the trailer here.
