Shaft (2000) User Reviews

Unoriginal but entertaining

[FlickJunkie-2 · 7/10 · 13 January 2001]

Thirty years is a long time to wait to make a sequel, especially when no one is clamoring for one. Director/Writer/Producer John Singleton decided it was about time. The result is a solid, but undistinguished crime drama. The elements of this story have been told so many times that they are becoming hackneyed. A tough, no-nonsense cop fights evil and corruption to bring justice to the streets while often disregarding the law. A spoiled rich kid is trying to get away with murder by hiring a drug dealer to snuff an eyewitness with the help of a couple of dirty cops. This is not vanguard material.

Singleton's direction is good in the action sequences (of which there are plenty) and adequate in the dramatic scenes. In this film, he doesn't bring much innovation to the screen, with very straightforward shots and mundane locations. In an overly reverent gesture to the original film, he brings back Richard Roundtree (the original Shaft) as the current Shaft's (Samuel L. Jackson) uncle and mentor. There is also a cameo appearance by Gordon Parks, the director of the original, and of course, Isaac Hayes theme song is back.

The film is elevated from mediocrity by the acting. Samuel L. Jackson is an outstanding actor and slips on the character of this tough, streetwise cop like a tailored glove. When he's bad, he's very very bad and when he is good, he's almost saintly. Christian Bale also gives a fine performance as the despicable rich kid who thinks his wealth puts him above the law. Jeffrey Wright is explosive as the egomaniac drug lord. The supporting actors are also excellent.

This is an entertaining film despite its lack of originality. I rated it a 7/10. Action junkies add a point or two. This film is extremely violent with a high body count.

Oddly mainstream for a blaxploitation flick, but Jackson is great and the total is fun and solid

[secondtake · 7/10 · 9 March 2013]

Shaft (2000)

This comes so far after the original "Shaft" in 1971 you might hesitate to call it a sequel. It's more like a revival, or a nostalgic time trip. Except that it's all been updated nicely, with a feeling of the original sassiness intact. And the Isaac Hayes music is central, and terrific, making this a legit Shaft movie.

Samuel Jackson plays the role perfectly, not pulling back and not overdoing it. The idea of a black cop in a city that still has racial biases, in this case emphasizing the rise of Latino drug lords as part of the fracturing, is mainstreamed here. It's not as daring or shocking to see this pushed forward, but it's still effective. Shaft, the main character (who never seems to have a first name), is powerful, smart, and unwilling to be pushed around by authority. Even if it means losing his job (or quitting--Shaft is always the one making his own choices).

The director, John Singleton, is not especially well positioned for a mainstream sequel with high production values (his one famous effort to date is "Boyz n the Hood"), but he pulls it off. This is a snappy, smart, well made movie. It's oddly mainstream, playing with clichés too easily, working with bad guy good guy tenets adding only the minor twist of racial or ethnic alliances, though even these we've seen before. You can't help but see "Jackie Brown" from three years earlier as a far more interesting, well made, and timely movie. That one was by Quentin Tarantino, which changes the score a bit, but it starred Jackson, again, and makes the most of him.

You might say Singleton makes the most of Jackson here, too, but a better way to look at it is that Jackson makes the most of Singleton. He takes over the movie, and it's a good thing. He has talent and presence in a classic Hollywood acting way. The cast around him is really strong, which is nice. (There is a cameo by the original director of the 1971 "Shaft," Gordon Parks, in a bar scene, if you are lucky--a white haired older black man at the table.)

The other terrific actor is Jeffrey Wright, playing a drug king with enough realism and panache to make it real and glitzy both. The third main character is the future Batman, Christian Bale, who is a great bad guy and who you actually miss in the last parts of the movie.

What really brings this down to earth, and too much so, is the story, which is boilerplate stuff. There is machismo, and guns, and a play of one bad guy against another, and one cop against another. You might say, hey, isn't there room for more cop and crime movies that work in familiar circles? Yes. But I again refer to "Jackie Brown" as a way to see out of this box.

This new "Shaft" is good stuff--it's well acted, tightly edited, directed with professional canny (noticeable in lots of different ways), and brings up racial clichés in a fun and even important way. It descends by the last third into overused chase and shoot scenes between cops and robbers. But...it's better than its reputation, for sure. I say see it. Enjoy the attitudes. The acting. And the homage to the original.

Smooth as silk

[ctomvelu1 · 7/10 · 6 October 2010]

I love this 1980s-style action flick, and watch it every time it is pops up on TV. Sam Jackson plays Shaft's nephew, a big-city cop trying to track down a reluctant witness to a racially motivated murder. The killer, played by a sinister, pre-BATMAN Christian Bale, is modeled on the New York preppie rapist (remember him?). He hires a low-level drug dealer (Jeffrey Wright) to track down the witness, a waitress (Toni Collette), and kill her. Shaft must find her before they do. Jackson is silky smooth, the action is right out of a DIE HARD or LETHAL WEAPON flick, and the landscape is populated by some great supporting players including Dan Hedaya as a corrupt cop and Vanessa Williams as a cop who has Shaft's back. The original Shaft, Richard Roundtree, even pops up a couple of times. This is one wild and funny ride that plays the way we prefer our action films to play. At times, it is a little thin on plot, but it keeps moving. No blood to speak of, just action, action and more action. And keep a close eye on Wright, a noted stage and screen actor. His soft-spoken drug lord tenderly holds a newborn baby at one moment and in the next pokes a knife into the neck of a terrified woman. He steals every scene he is in.

Ahhh....pretty good!

[gazzo-2 · 17 June 2000]

I liked this one alot-fast moving, funny, crude, violent at times, has the same old 'sphagetti Western' shooting style where the baddie can't hit the broadside of a barn with 400 rounds while Shaft takes'em out one shot at a time, never misses. Enjoyed Jackson in this mucho, this is some fine work by a kinetic actor in his prime. Vanessa Williams is easy on the eyes and a smooth actress in her own right, plus you have to give this Jeffrey Wright guy credit for doing a bang up job as a Puerto Rican(!!) villain(with a heart, sorta...). Bale as the Menendez Brother from hell is effective too. I liked Richard Roundtree, Pat Hingle and Gordon Parks' cameos(look fast for him, as Mr. P in the bar!)

This one isn't meant to be taken too seriously, the car chases and shootouts are right outta anything Dirty Harry has done-but you know, John Singleton sez he intended for this to be a popcorn movie, and I agree, he has hit the bullseye with this.

And that Isaac Hayes score, gotta love it!

*** outta ****, go see it and have fun.

You know me. It's my duty to please that booty.

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 10 May 2009]

We are not talking classics here, but guilty pleasures. I've watched it three or four times. I am surprised I haven't written it up.

The Richard Roundtree role of John Shaft is taken by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Christian Bale is his nemesis as Walter Wade, Jr., who is a racist, spoiled rich kid.

Wade hooks up with Peoples (Jeffrey Wright) and Shaft has his work cut out for him trying to find his witness (Toni Collette). He doesn't know he has crooked cops to deal with also.

The action ramps up hot and heavy after People's little brother gets killed. Bullets fly and lots die while cars get shot up and smashed in a run through the streets.

With Vanessa Williams backing up Shaft, this is worth a couple of watches.

Just give it a chance

[Grant_Price · 7/10 · 8 February 2008]

This review is written as a defence of John Singleton's 'homage' to the 2000 edition of Shaft. The majority of people that I know (6 in all) use similar terms when referring to it: average, mediocre, I-hate-Busta-Rhymes etcetera. However, it actually isn't average or mediocre at all (although Busta Rhymes is indeed a complete tool.) Sure, the story is linear, predictable and doesn't bring anything new to a tired genre (Racial injustice! Rogue cops! Black attitude!) but one has to see past that to the performances, because that's where the real gold lies. Well, three performances to be precise. First, Samuel L. Jackson. Though his roles may lack a certain amount of vicissitude, they are always entertaining. And he seems to restrain himself as the "sex machine to all the chicks." He doesn't actually have sex at all throughout the film, which I see as a good thing. As Shaft, he receives most of the animated and colourful dialogue, kills the most bad guys technically murder seeing as he resigns from the police force at the beginning), and gets to wear nine different varieties of the same jacket, all the while looking effortlessly cool. Plus he throws a police badge into a wall... really fast! Second, Christian Bale. It is no secret that Bale is now objectively the best actor of his generation, but come the dawn of the new millennium he had yet to present himself to a wider audience. Unfortunately, Shaft failed to do so too. However, is performance is superb. Following on from his equivocal turn as Norman Bates in American Psycho (2000), Bale continues his villainous streak as Walter Wade, Jr, a truly horrible character whose racial attack in a restaurant provides the basis for the story. Really the only word that can describe Wade is "a$$hole" and Bale plays this role perfectly. It is rare that one could despise a character this much and that is what makes him so fun to watch.

Third, Jeffrey Wright. If Shaft had had a better storyline and been more popular, Wright's portrayal of drug dealer/gang leader Peoples Hernandez would have been his magnum opus. His type of method acting is similar to that of Bale's, and to see them square off against one another is THE principal reason for watching, especially when Wright stabs Bale in the hand. Exciting and bloody. Wright provides entertainment in every scene, whether through his exaggerated walk, his bastardisation of the English language or simply a facial movement. Plus, he induces an element of sympathy for Peoples after his brother is killed at the hands of Shaft (of course) and provokes the audience into wondering whether his eventual demise was really justified. Really, the film should have been called 'Peoples' and he should have had three sequels.

So there it is. A short and unconvincing advocate of Shaft based on three exemplary performances. Oh, and it features Lynne Thigpen, who played the DJ in The Warriors (1979) and as The Warriors is an excellent and highly realistic depiction of New York in the seventies... that means Shaft is also worth watching? Yes it does.

An adequate successor but still a B-movie.

[=G= · 6/10 · 12 December 2000]

"Shaft 2000" is a reasonable successor to the original Shaft of 29 years ago. The film shows restraint by keeping Shaft big, but not bigger than life, as it tries to be a human story first and an action flick second. Unfortunately, in spite of good performances (especially by Wright) and good production talent, the story fails on the human level and hedges on the obvious alternative of exaggerated good and bad guys and a profusion of gratuitous violence, sex, and action. Worth a watch but keep expectations low.

Talk About Getting the "Shaft!"

[zardoz-13 · 6/10 · 2 July 2008]

If Paramount Pictures plans to produce a sequel to the new "Shaft," then they need to develop a stronger storyline and provide a bolder villain who can go the distance with "the cat who won't cop out when there is danger all about." Were it not for its blazing gunplay and blistering profanity, this second-rate but serviceable update of Gordon Park's "Shaft" would resemble an average episode of "NYPD Blue." The action scenes in director John Singleton's "Shaft" lack the bravura of the Richard Roundtree originals. Aside from an occasionally memorable one-liner, the dialogue pales by comparison with the lingo contrived by the late Oscar winning scenarist Ernest Tidyman. (Not only did Tidyman forge the "Shaft" character in a series of novels and two scripts, but he also penned the screenplay for director William Friedkin's "The French Connection!") The bankrupt quality in the creative storytelling process with "Shaft" (2000) boils down to its half-baked premise. No, Samuel L. Jackson doesn't replace Richard Roundtree as the seminal black private eye. Instead, he plays Shaft's nephew! Sounds like an urban contemporary alternative to "The Mask of Zorro!" Basically, "Shaft" focuses on hate crime. The racist son of a white real estate tycoon beats an unarmed African-American, Trey Howard (Mekhi Phifer of "Higher Learning"), to death outside an elite New York City restaurant. A white bartender on a cigarette break, Diane Palmieri (a frumpy Toni Collette of "The Sixth Sense"), witnesses the murder from across the street. Walter Wade Jr. (creepy Christian Bale of "American Psycho") threatens her about testifying against him in court. When Detective John Shaft" (Samuel L. Jackson of "Pulp Fiction") shows up in his stylist Armani leather trench coat, he punches the despicable Wade in the face twice, then devotes himself to tracking down the scared barkeep. He wants to sink Wade Jr., with Diane's testimony. Initially, Singleton characterizes Samuel L. Jackson's Shaft in one illuminating long shot that shows him striding up a street against on-coming traffic. Although Jackson's Shaft is the nephew to Roundtree's Shaft, he handles himself more like Inspector Harry Callahan's half-brother! Unfortunately, for Shaft, once Wade makes bail, the obnoxious anus skips town for sanctuary in far-off Switzerland. According to Wade in a telephone call to his nemesis, he made bail because of the two blows that Shaft dealt him that broke his nose. Meanwhile, in a move reminiscent of the Burt Reynolds' classic "Sharkey's Machine," Shaft finds himself reassigned from homicide to narcotics. Singleton reinvents Shaft as a volatile loose cannon on deck. After one of many drug busts, our reckless hero confronts a pint-sized "Scarface" wannabe, Peoples Hernandez (the impeccable Jeffry Wright of "Basquiat"), and locks the ice-pick toting drug dealer up on a technicality when the witless thug touches his bullet-proof vest.

Two years elapses, and Wade tries to sneak back into Gotham, only to be nabbed as he gets off his plane by Shaft. Shaft is not the only person who cannot figure out why Wade returned. The "Shaft" scenarists never furnish a reasonable explanation why such a worthless prick like Wade Jr., would come back to stand trial. His father and he tolerate each other, and he despises his old man's mistress. Such an obvious oversight reflects poorly on Singleton and his scripters. When the Honorable Dennis Bradford (Pat Hingle of "Hang'em High") releases Wade for a second time, Shaft savors a "Dirty Harry" moment. Defiantly, he hurls his N.Y.P.D. shield like a kung fu weapon so that it embeds itself in the wall inches from the judge's head. Easily, this is the beset single moment in "Shaft." Quitting the force (like hundreds of other renegade Hollywood cops) Shaft resolves to find Diane.

Christian Bale and Jeffry Wright make convincingly reptilian villains, but they emerge as narrative welterweights that don't stand a snowball's chance in hell against a heavyweight like Samuel L. Jackson's "Shaft." What "Shaft" desperately needs but cannot conjure up is a bold adversary like the villains in Gordon Park's "Shaft" & "Shaft's Big Score" and John Guillermin's "Shaft in Africa." When our villains argue, Singleton exposes how essentially weak they are compared to Shaft. Neither Wade nor the vertically challenged Peoples pose much of a threat to Shaft. "Eraser" heroine Vanessa Williams registers credibly as a tough-minded police woman who backs up Shaft in a tight spot. Dependable Dan Hedaya plays another crooked cop in the vein of the devious policeman that he portrayed in Norman Jewison's "The Hurricane." Ostensibly, "Shaft" unfolds as a gritty, authentic, but incredibly prosaic police procedural thriller with no romantic diversions. Everything in "Shaft" has been done before and done better. The filmmakers break no new ground dramatically or in terms of action stunts. Writer & director John Singleton of "Boyz N the Hood" and his scenarists Richard Price of "Clockers" and Shane Salerno of "Armageddon" let two banal subplots masquerade as the main plot. Action mystery thrillers are defined by the greed of the villain. The "Shaft" villains are mindless miscreants. Singleton combines them but together, they fail to substitute for a sturdy villain.

Credit the "Shaft" producers for having the good sense not to tamper with Isaac Hayes' immortal theme song. British composer David Arnold of "Tomorrow Never Dies" reprises elements of Hayes' Academy Award winning music throughout the action for maximum effect and succeeds without having to alter the tracks. The "Shaft" producers should be applauded also for giving the original "Shaft"—Richard Roundtree—a few scenes to recreate his groundbreaking blaxploitation character. Nevertheless, compared with the earlier "Shaft" epics, the new "Shaft" struggles lamely to make up for its dire lack of romance and larger-than-life villains. Jackson delivers an abrasive, often ballistic performance as the title hero and is very convincing. Ultimately, the premise that the new "Shaft" has to have the same name of his uncle and be a cop (even an ex-cop) shows how short-sighted the producers were when they decided to revive the "Shaft" franchise.

Amusing but really nothing special.

[MovieAddict2016 · 4/10 · 9 April 2004]

An enjoyable but nevertheless quite silly and average remake of the classic television show has the new John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) beating up a white racist (Christian Bale) and getting booted off of the police force. Everyone in this film is a racist - primarily the whites - and this whole idea is way too forced. The language and violence is rough, yet the film itself is quite goofy, with not many good scenes and only a few mediocre action sequences. The moral is somewhat depressing: if someone wrongs you, or someone of your race, then beat them up and kill them once they reappear. Richard Roundtree's cameo helps a bit, but regardless, this SHAFT is still only "good" at best.

2.5/5 stars.

He's an angry muther!

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 13 May 2005]

Slam-bang remake of the 1971 blaxploitation success involving New York City cop quitting the force out of frustration and anger and becoming a private detective. After the legal system fails to keep a wealthy, white racist/killer off the streets, it's Shaft to the rescue! Director John Singleton remembers that tough genre exercises can also be a lot of fun; this one certainly is, with exceptional performances by Samuel L. Jackson (perfect in the lead) and Jeffrey Wright as a notorious drug czar. Some of the plotting is hazy, but the movie never compromises itself--and never becomes a live-action cartoon. It stays tough to the end, especially with Isaac Hayes' updated theme over the credits. Can ya dig it? *** from ****

Unadultrated racist garbage

[hongpik · 1/10 · 3 July 2006]

While the trailers and commercials for this movie made it look really good, this movie itself is a POS that is openly racist against white people and the plot itself is nothing more than African American revenge. Samuel L. Jackson's worst role ever.

1) The villain is a loser white guy who everybody, throughout the entire movie, hates and pushes around, be it the common drunk in the bar, his dad or his partner in crime. In one scene, a black man enters the bar (with a bunch of white chick sycophants no less) and everybody cheers for him. Then our villain white guy makes some vague racist comment and everybody, I mean, every single one in the bar, boos him and try to sooth the black guy whos been insulted. Nothing wrong with that but that way its been portrayed in the movie is so un-subtle, so explicit and is ridiculously intentional. Then the black guy approaches the white guy, almost as if hes gonna beat him up, instead makes two holes in a napkin and puts it on the white guys head as in KKK! YuK YuK YuK. Then everybody, I mean, everybody, once again starts laughing so hard and cheering for our black hero for his oh so innovative come back at the white racist. The white villain is so humiliated that he kills the black guy and absconds.

2) Shaft beats up the villain's white ass and takes him to court. Bad guy uses influence to get bail. Everybody, I mean, every single freaking one who can be seen, cries and boos in disappointment. Shaft resigns by embarrassingly throwing his badge at the judge.

3) The rest of the plot is about Shaft trying to locate an eyewitness, brotha style, beating up white boys along the way.

4) The white guy is shot in the end by the black martyr's mom. More attempts at drama gone bad.

I'm not even white myself but this movie is so explicitly racist that anyone of any race would find it an utter embarrassment to watch. All the drama of blaxploitation is so fake and so insincere that it makes me want to puke. There are no redeeming qualities about this movie too. The action sucks and the dialogue, trying to be badass, is utterly embarrassing. One of the worst movies ever made.

0/10 stars.

Still the man...

[Willy-73 · 8/10 · 20 June 2000]

I went to see this movie expecting to see a big-budget remake of the original Shaft, and I got it.

This version is a lot more violent than the original, it didn't seem to be in Shaft's style. The pacing and editing in the first half of the movie were fast and smooth. John Singleton did a great job in establishing Shaft's character and the plot. During the second half of the movie (when the action really begins), however, the movie starts to lose it's original slickness.

Samuel L. Jackson is truly a great Shaft, he's probably the only actor out there (besides the great Richard Roundtree) who could pull this off, and he does an excellent job. This time around, though, we don't really see Shaft's "Ladies' Man" side, except for a couple of innuendoes with minor characters. Like I said, Jackson's Shaft is a little too violent (even for a desensitized, Tarantino fan like me). Christian Bale, after playing a cold,rich, psychopathic killer in "American Psycho", plays a...cold, rich, psychopathic killer. He's perfect in his ability to make us feel absolutely no compassion for him. It's impossible not to mention Bustah Rhymes in a small but great role as Shaft's driver/assistant. He provides some of the comic relief, taking some strain off of Jackson.

I thoroughly enjoyed Isaac Hayes' Oscar-Winning theme, which plays throughout the movie.

This Shaft is a great movie for anyone who's a fan of the original, Sam Jackson, or great action movies in general.

Is Shaft bad or just plain lucky?

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 16 January 2002]

True, this was just another shoot-em-up, but the hero was everyman's top super stud hard ass, Shaft. With this one you get case after case of high capacity lead slinging, jive talk, tough talk, serious ass whipping, squealing tires, and Shaft's own brand of street justice. Plus, these punks deserved every hole Shaft poked in their scummy hides. This was one more fun film and positively nobody could play this part like Samuel L. Extremely violent and vulgar: better than I expected.

This movie is both disappointing and disturbing.

[rick-289 · 2/10 · 18 June 2000]

Mainly the movie is a stylish mess, reflecting a casual disregard for plot logic. It might have been fun, however, had it not been so blatantly racist -- indeed, race-baiting. Most disturbing of all is the trumped-up ending which defines the underlying anti-social message of the film. A similar story by a white director with the racial roles reversed would never have received distribution, and rightly so. Shaft is sloppy work,which is bad enough; but it also sends an irresponsible message.

lively homage

[Buddy-51 · 13 January 2001]

Samuel L. Jackson seems to be having the time of his movie acting life portraying the title character in `Shaft,' John Singleton's take on the groundbreaking classic that, on its release in 1971, served as the blueprint for all the `blaxploitation' films that filled theatres throughout the early and mid 1970's. Unfortunately, the concept of a rogue black cop, defying the rules and doing things his own way, is not as fresh as it was back in the time of the original film, so this new version of `Shaft' has less to recommend it. Still, it is an efficient police procedural, filled with crowd-pleasing moments of adrenalin-pumping melodrama, hissable villains and a wisecracking, kickass hero who seems virtually indestructible – just the way we like our heroes to be in a movie like this.

Singleton pays affectionate homage to the original film in many ways. Jackson actually plays the nephew of the original Shaft and, indeed, Richard Roundtree makes a cameo appearance early on in the film as Jackson's seasoned mentor. Singleton wisely uses the original Isaac Hayes recording of the hit song as background for the film's opening credit sequence and backs up many of the action scenes with an impressive instrumental interpretation as well.

The story offers little that is new for this particular genre whose films often rise or fall based on the quality of the foils against whom the hero must ultimately contend. Luckily, the filmmakers are blessed with not just one but two impressive villains – Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez, a tough talking thug who wants to expand out of the little neighborhood kingdom he has established into the big time of upper class drug dealing, and Christian Bale as Walter Wade, Jr., the racist, spoiled-brat son of a New York City magnate whose hate crime killing of an innocent black man sets the plot in motion and serves as fodder for Shaft's personal vendetta. Bale proves definitively that the quality of subtle, soul-cringing evil he brought to his role in `American Psycho' was no fluke and that he can be as effective in a big budget extravaganza like this one as he is in a smaller scale, far more quirky work like `Psycho.' Vanessa Williams, on the other hand, who plays Shaft's partner and who is almost unrecognizable buried under a dark beret, fails to distinguish herself either in her role or in her performance.

Then we have Mr. Jackson himself. Here is a man who slides so effortlessly into the role that, despite the absurdity and incredibility of much that is going on around him, we never question the film's veracity for a moment. Whether tossing off wisecracks, shooting at unarmed criminals, pounding defenseless suspects into insensibility or consoling distraught witnesses, Shaft remains forever a hero, acting out the impulses we in the audience feel but are never able to fully act upon in our daily lives. Thus, this new `Shaft' works best as simpleminded good vs. evil melodrama – and even the most sophisticated movie watcher can use a bit of that once in a while.

Fun role for Samuel L.

[sgmi-53579 · 6/10 · 24 November 2022]

Samuel L. Jackson is great. He chews scenery, and often appears to have the time of his life, portraying the street smart, wise cracking John Shaft. Christian Bale perfectly portrays the brash, arrogant, racist nemesis, who will become a focal point of the film. Bale severely beats a fellow bar patron who embarrasses him in front of his friends. The setup is great. Somewhere in the second act the genial charm of the film begins to wear thin, as a sea of characters we don't know well or necessarily care about, show up to move the plot along. Best is Peoples, a drug lord who enters into Shaft's world. Not great, but fun. It looks like the cast enjoyed themselves, and that energy carries it to the finish. Thumbs in the middle, as they say.

Are you depressed? Then consider watching this

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 3 March 2010]

I have not watched the original, or the other sequels(not for a lack of trying), but I honestly imagine that this just about matches them in pure awesomeness that has not been watered down in the least. While I will grant that the 70's stuff in this probably fit better and looked more inconspicuous back in the actual decade, this still completely works. You probably already know the basic concept; Shaft is a P.I. who especially works to ensure that his fellow African-Americans are not treated unfairly as far as justice being served goes. I can see Roundtree having nailed that role 40 years ago, and I'm not necessarily saying that Jackson is a better choice, however, he certainly is spot-on for the role. The plot is genuinely engaging, and it holds surprises without being difficult to follow. This is nicely filmed and edited. The film is immensely entertaining throughout; I wasn't bored for a single second, and the pace is marvelous. With shoot-outs, fights and chases, this has cool and exciting action. No, it doesn't go anywhere new for the genre... so? It's a well-produced and really *fun* entry, and that deserves recognition, as well. I love the music of this. The characters are well-written, credible and thoroughly developed. Acting performances range a tad, the leads are great. The dialog is clever, delivered well and natural. There is constant strong language, a lot of bloody violence, and very brief nudity and sexuality. I recommend this to anyone into the idea behind it. 7/10

Shaft's return with plenty of suspense , thriller , intrigue and violence

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 13 February 2023]

This is the follow-up to Shaft-Roundtree series with lots of action and violent events , here Shaft/Samuel L. Jackson turns out to be nephew of the original 1970s detective . Shaft working within , if not for , the system as a representative of NYPD. This fist and guns opera features some decent acting , noisy action sequences , though no too much , and results to be quite entertaining . It's an intriguing film , plenty of thriller , suspense , and much of the action centers around New York streets . Dealing with New York City police detective , John Shaft (Samuel L Jackson) , going on a personal mission , he is the lead detective on an essential case , a young black man is severely beaten . Shaft attempts to make sure the Walter Wade Jr (Christian Bale) , the son of a wealthy man (Philip Bosco) , is brought to justice after a racially-motivated murder . The man's companions tell Shaft that their friend humiliated the one who was spouting racial slurs at him. Shaft confronts him and finds that he has the ID of a woman (Toni Collette) who's a waitress at the bar where Wade and the guy who was attacked were . Then Shaft to pull off a dangerous mission to meet and protect a witness . The ex-cop turns into private-eye and he eliminates anyone who stands in his aim , battling a variety of nasties and keeping things moving along until the final confrontation . Still the man, any questions? .Wanna see Shaft again? This time bring yo' momma. Shaft is stickin' it...all the way. F you want to see Shaft, ask yo' Mama. The mob wanted Harlem back. They got Shaft...up to here. Shaft's his name. Shaf's his game. Hotter than Bond, Cooler than Bullitt. Wanna see Shaft? Better ask yo' mamma.

This thrilling picture packs crossfire , noisy action , violent fights , brutal killings and results to be quite entertaining . A credit sequence commingles succulent glistening and skin weaponry , set to a beefed up version of Isaac Hayes' theme tune , but this Shaft (2000) results to be a slight cinematic rendition to the vintage 70s' Blaxploitation . Strong , raw screenplay by Richard Price , Shane Salerno and director John Singleton himself , based on the characters created by Ernest Tdyman from his novel "Shaft". The Ernest Tidyman novel which was the basis for the film is about a black detective and not a white one . This Shaft/Samuel L Jackson is slick and street savvy , but a little ground down . In the hundrum plot , there's plenty of scope for Jeffrey Wright to try hijacking the proceedings with a near turn as a Latino drug dealer , also for a bunch of shoot-outs , car chases , grisly muders and other surprises . Along with co-starring Christian Bale , giving a really nasty acting as racist yuppie brat Walter Wade charged with a wanton race murder , appearing a lot of distinguished secondaries , such as : Busta Rhymes, Dan Hedaya, Toni Collette, Richard Roundtree , Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Josef Sommer, Philip Bosco, Pat Hingle, Lee Tergesen, Daniel von Bargen , among others.

It packs colorful as well as evocative cinematography by cameraman Donald E. Thorin . Equally , an atmospheric musical score by composer David Arnold , including the classsic Shaft's leitmotif by Isaac Hayes . The motion picture was well directed by John Singleton . He's a nice director , his first movies were quite thoughtful and brooding (Boyz in the Hood , Poetic justice , Higher learning), but today he usually makes intelligent action films (Fast and Furious 2 , Baby boy , Shaft) until his early death at 51. The film will appeal to action lovers buffs and Samuel L. Jackson fans . Rating : 6/10, acceptable and passable. Well catching .The result is an entertaining entry for action/thriller enthusiasts and blaxploitation fans with lots of violence , adult issues and profanities .

This first and the best of the series belonging to blaxploitation genre was ¨Shaft¨(1971) by Gordon Parks , it was rumored to be written as just another detective movie , with a white detective in the lead , but , after the success of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971) , the film was rewritten and recast as a blaxploitation movie and the second ¨Shaft's Big score¨ (1972) by Gordon Parks and third : Shaft in Africa (1973) by John Guillermin and is followed by seven TV episodes (1973,1974) . And 2000 version by John Singleton with Samuel L. Jackson . And Shaft (2019) again with Samuel L. Jackson , alonside Jessie T. Usher, Richard Roundtree, Regina Hall, Titus Welliver, Matt Lauria and Method Man .

It's got what matters

[Mr-Fusion · 6/10 · 28 May 2022]

I can't speak highly enough of Samuel L. Jackson in this film. He's got all the swagger and huevos this iconic role needs and he fits in perfectly; he just makes it look easy. The supporting cast is pretty good, too.

The story itself is routine, but we're all here for the lead character, right? The one thing here that really doesn't work -- and I'm as surprised as anyone -- is Christian Bale. He's playing a viciously hateful rich kid but j just couldn't see it in him. It was 2000, he'd just killed it in American Psycho (no pun intended) but this role was not a good fit.

a low down dirty shame

[winner55 · 5/10 · 27 June 2006]

"a low down dirty shame" - that's the name of the movie this movie was based on, originally directed & starring Keenan Wayans (1994). But that film is as much comedy as action film. This is... well, obviously, Samuel Jackson wanted to show that he could play "black"; but I don't know who ever doubted that.

The original Shaft suffered from a lack of proper pacing, due largely to the editor's uncertainty as to where that film was going.

This film suffers from the fact that - being a borrowed story all around - the story itself isn't sure where it's going.

Well, it's nice to see Richard roundtree on the big screen again - a wholly underrated and type-cast actor, he deserves more and better roles.

Shaft is back! And arguably better!

[gdematties · 6/10 · 23 June 2015]

An homage to the blaxploitation films of the late '60s, early '70s, Samuel L. Jackson stars in the title role of "Shaft". More of a sequel to the successful earlier series that starred Richard Roundtree than a reboot, it follows the exploits of John Shaft, the nephew of the original detective John Shaft, who is once again portrayed by Roundtree. Shaft is a New York City cop who arrests a racist rich heir (Christian Bale) who beats a black restaurant patron to death for no reason. The heir gets bail and skips town, but returns to years later. Shaft makes it his business to hunt him down. He also is hunting down the sole witness to the murder, who doesn't want to be found. When he finally catches the heir, he is once again given bail, which causes Shaft to quit the force and take measures into his own hands. The heir enlists the aid of a local Hispanic drug lord to hunt down the witness to silence her. This film is VERY relevant to today's ills of society, and the tension between the races that exists today. It also is a throwback to the old series, with MUCH better acting, as Jackson and Bale both command the screen. Good turns by Vanessa Williams as Shaft's partner and Toni Colette as the witness, and a great, over-the-top performance by Jeffrey Wright as the drug lord makes the movie much superior to its predecessors. Great flick for action movie fans.

Fascist "remake" of a once beautiful film.

[jon-211 · 1/10 · 30 May 2001]

Contains spoilers

the original SHAFT was a beautiful homage to the "Hustla"; the slick superman having his own way with things, women and the law. The original Shaft, played by Richard Roundtree was so cool he even taught the italian mafiosi how to drink espresso ("You know what this is? This is an Expresso (sic) tell'em to put some garlic into it,you might like it")

Sam Jackson's SHAFT bears no resemblance to this smooth original. He's an old fascist cop making his way through the ghetto like Charles Bronson's controversial vigilante from the "Death Wish" films. BUT - SHAFT is no vigilante. He's the law. His violence is institutionalized. And the film celebrates it.

Although the main plot is a classic blaxploitation one : Black cop chasing a white sonofabi*ch (in this case a nazi murderer) ; it always gets mixed up with the subplot; SHAFTs personal war on a quite peaceful coke dealer named Peoples. The final showdown is NOT with the Nazi bad guy; but with Peoples : the only character that bears any resemblance to a classic blaxploitation hero. And Peoples gets killed, cold bloodedly by the avengeful Shaft. His last remark made; before Shaft guns him down is. "I am not your enemy. I'm Peoples" He's the people; and Shaft's at war with it.

Do see this film; and hate it.

Shaft is Back!

[yak2000 · 9/10 · 30 April 2000]

SHAFT is back and in a big way. Sam Jackson is perfect as the tall, smart-mouth, tough mother...watch your mouth! The audience went crazy. Cheering and laughing aloud. They loved it and so will the rest of America.

It is a little too violent in my opinion. But there are nice performances, especially from the Cuban new-comer actor who played the nemesis in it. A nice cameo from the original Shaft.

They should have left the tag line "Watch your mouth" as in the original, instead of what they used to "modernize" it, which didn't have quite the impact it could have.

And that was a nice star-making role for the Cuban actor.

It's actually a great cross-over movie. In other words even white people will like it.

He is a smoooooooth mutha!

[tommyboy-16 · 6/10 · 15 January 2001]

A 6 out 10. I found it entertaining. There were lots of big holes in the plot. Sam L. Jackson is about as cool as they come. This movie lives and dies upon him and sucks the life like a leech on a gator's belly. He can handle it! If you like action and don't mind muthaF.%$&#* talk then watch this movie.

Mindless Black Revenge Drama, Boring

[osloj · 1/10 · 9 March 2004]

Racist cop John Shaft (again the overrated Sam Jackson) thinks that he can break all the rules and beat up innocent people; well, this movie is a bit of something absurd.

The direction is terrible, the action sequences are cliched, and the "black brother" message doesn't really make sense because it falls flat.

I would avoid this mess, unless of course you are someone who feels that violence is necessary against innocent civilians.