’48 Hrs.’ Director Walter Hill Decries ‘Woke Environment,’ Responds to Recent Criticisms

thewrap.com:

ew interview with Moviemaker Magazine, he addressed the controversy that surrounded, and ultimately derailed, his last movie – 2016’s “The Assignment,” saying that the criticism of the film was “unfortunate.”To explain: “The Assignment,” which was initially titled “Tomboy” and then “(Re) Assignment,” is a trashy little neo-noir.

It was originally written back in 1978 and its story – of a hitman who becomes a woman (Michelle Rodriguez) thanks to an evil scientist (Sigourney Weaver) – might have been given a pass as recently as Hill’s stint on HBO’s “Tales From the Crypt.” But in 2016, it came across (to some) as callous and cruel.

Critics objected (loudly) to its portrayal of trans people, which was seen as simplistic and overwrought.When asked about “The Assignment,” Hill notes the name change and said it was in service of trying to be “more politically correct” (even though, at the time, critics pointed out that gender reassignment surgery, which the title refers to, is a horribly outdated phrase). “What was unfortunate is there’s nothing in the movie that violates trans theory, and it reinforces trans theory.

That is to say, what you are inside your head is what you are,” Hill told MovieMaker. “But I did not completely understand it was too soon to deal with trans stories in a comic-book style film.