‘The Assignment’ Trailer: Michelle Rodriguez in Controversial Thriller

Walter Hill hasn’t been as prolific in recent years as he was in his heyday — the genre maestro directed the likes of “48 Hrs.,” “The Warriors” and “Streets of Fire,” among many others — but he’s back with “The Assignment,” which premiered to mixed reviews and no shortage of controversy at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Formerly known as “(re)Assignment,” the film stars Michelle Rodriguez as a killer seeking vengeance after involuntarily undergoing gender-reassignment surgery. Watch the trailer below.

“This operation is your reminder of the terrible thing you did,” the surgeon responsible (Sigourney Weaver) says as the trailer opens. “This is your opportunity for redemption.” Things progress as you’d expect from there: Rodriguez begins plotting revenge, Weaver offers skewed justification for her act and bodies pile up.

Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia, Terry Chen and Caitlin Gerard co-star in the film, whose development traces back to a script called “Tom Boy” Denis Hamill wrote nearly 40 years ago. Saban Films will release “The Assignment” later this year.