The Assignment
Performance & Direction: The Assignment Review
Last updated: February 22, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Assignment (2016) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.5/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Action.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Action is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Assignment features a noteworthy lineup led by Michelle Rodriguez . Supported by the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Tony Shalhoub , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: The Assignment
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2016, The Assignment is a Action, Crime, Thriller film directed by Walter Hill. The narrative delivers highly intense sequences and pulse-pounding confrontations that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Michelle Rodriguez.
Story Breakdown
In this high-octane feature, Walter Hill establishes a narrative structure that follows a classic action blueprint: establishing the protagonist's world, introducing a formidable antagonist, and escalating the stakes. Ace assassin Frank Kitchen is double crossed by gangsters and falls into the hands of rogue surgeon known as The Doctor who turns him into a woman. The hitman, now a hitwoman, sets out for revenge, aided by a nurse named Johnnie who also has secrets. The film balances spectacular set pieces with character moments for Michelle Rodriguez, ensuring the action serves the story rather than overwhelming it.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The title opens with an explosive sequence that immediately establishes the stakes and introduces our protagonist in action.
- Character Arc: Character development is present but somewhat formulaic, following familiar patterns without adding fresh perspectives to the genre.
- Climax & Resolution: The final confrontation delivers on the buildup, with stakes at their highest and the protagonist using everything they've learned.
Ending Explained: The Assignment
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Walter Hill, The Assignment attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to action resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving Michelle Rodriguez, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the action themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Assignment reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Assignment Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Assignment incorporates elements from real criminal cases. As a action, crime, thriller film directed by Walter Hill, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement for Michelle Rodriguez's character.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, focusing on emotional truth over strict chronology.
Accuracy Assessment: The Assignment adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Assignment?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Action films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Box Office Collection: The Assignment
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $5.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $388.8K |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
The Assignment Budget
The estimated production budget for The Assignment is $5.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Assignment
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Where to Watch The Assignment Online?
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YouTubeThe Assignment Parents Guide & Age Rating
2016 AdvisoryWondering about The Assignment age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Assignment is 95 minutes (1h 35m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 5.5/10, and global performance metrics, The Assignment is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 2016 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Assignment worth watching?
The Assignment is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Action movies. It has a verified rating of 5.5/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Assignment parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Assignment identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Assignment?
The total duration of The Assignment is 95 minutes, which is approximately 1h 35m long.
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How The Assignment Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Assignment
**The story of how a hitman became hitgirl!** Actually, it was a much better film than what I've heard of it. What could you expect from a B movie? This was a much better film for its small budget with a decent cast. The storyline seems okay, but Michelle Rodriguez is the one who made it possible. Yeah, it was like created for her to play the main role and she excelled. The filmmaking was quite compromised when the initial part of her character was played by herself. Because of particularly her height, but decently convinces us with all the rest of the makeovers. The film was about an assassin, who after encountering some wrong men, discovers later that he'd went through gender reassignment surgery. Now raged with anger, he begins his hunt whoever behind it, especially finding the reason for. With a small romance and action sequences, the film comes to an end. Before giving it a try, you must understand that it is not the film you should expect to be a masterpiece. It tried its best to narrate a decent story, as well as you get your entertainment along. So it is not a must see, but still worth a watch. _6/10_
A risky movie to make, people on both ends of the political spectrum are going to have things to say about _The_ _Assignment_ without ever having seen it, of that I have no doubt. But personally, and trying to put all that aside, _The_ _Assignment_ is actually halfway decent. It uses a couple of tropes I don't enjoy, for instance it has not one but two separate point of view framing devices, and I got the distinct impression that Sigourney Weaver was only there for maybe one full day of shooting, but I still was able to engage in the story, which was certainly one I hadn't seen on screen before. Between this and _Inconceivable_ I'm having a great month for film titles that are super inappropriate puns. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._
Boring--which is the worst thing that a B-movie can be. Points only for Michelle Rodriguez's prosthetic penis, her natural titties, and Sigourney Weaver's cinematic debasement via thriller cliches. This fauxploitation film doesn't even have the guts to do exploitation right.
Big thumbs down. I truly wanted to enjoy 'The Assignment' due to Michelle Rodriguez's involvement, but man it is unfortunately a pretty cruddy flick. Rodriguez herself is the film's only noteworthy positive, but only just to be honest - she isn't given much to work with. The premise has potential, though its execution here leaves a lot to be desired. Everything onscreen involving the characters of Sigourney Weaver and Tony Shalhoub bored me tremendously, every time it's just the filmmakers trying to come out looking smart - the dialogue, which is poor overall, is particularly bad for those two. The editing is also awful, the phoney comic book bits are weak and the transitions a very amateur-ish. This 2016 release also has an annoying habit of telling us every single location that a scene takes place, why I do not know - and if you are going to, choose a different font. I know that's an odd thing to mention, but they chose a TV police procedual-esque font, which doesn't fit with the aforementioned attempt at the comic book schtick. This should've been fun. Sadly, it is anything but.
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