Review: Shaft (2000)
Christopher Null
A film review by Christopher Null
Copyright 2000 filmcritic.com
filmcritic.com
Who's the bad mutha -- shut yo mouth!
That's right. Just talkin' 'bout Shaft. The remake. Er, the
sequel that is -- in what might very well be the first and only time a
sequel has been given the same title as the original. And believe me,
that's just where the stupidity of Shaft begins.
Samuel L. Jackson is obvious casting for the role of John Shaft,
the nephew of that other John Shaft (Richard Roundtree), the man who
popularized New York's baddest cop in three films during the early
1970s. While John Shaft is certainly a piece of pop culture, it's also
important to remember that the Shaft films were little more than classic
examples of blaxploitation. And the Shaft of today does embarrassingly
little to change his image.
It's a pity, because the update could have been a lot of fun -- a
modern-day John Shaft as tragic hero in a corrupt and oppressive NYPD.
Alas, no, the movie degenerates after 10 minutes of foot-tapping to
Isaac Hayes' classic "Theme from Shaft," with the audience left merely
to wonder: How long it will be until Roundtree makes his obligatory
cameo? (Answer: about 30 minutes.)
The plot, what there is of one, is an utter throwaway. Involving a
rich yuppie psycho (American Psycho's Christian Bale, now making a
living playing rich yuppie psychos) who bludgeons a black man to death
-- and the hush scheme to silence the only witness (Toni Collette) --
Shaft is so derivative as to be laughable, if only it didn't take itself
so seriously. With Shaft's ridiculous beard trim, a joke-busting
sidekick (fittingly played by Busta Rhymes, the only real treat in the
film), and a whole army of bad guys, none of whom can shoot worth a damn
(though Shaft never misses), Shaft is a parody of itself but doesn't
even realize it. Ultimately, the story serves simply to usher Shaft
from fight to gun battle to car chase, over and over and over again. If
it wasn't called Shaft, no one would see this film.
I tell you what. Let Spike Lee direct Shaft instead of blood-happy
John Singleton. Hell, let Spike Lee direct and star! Now that'd be a
movie. But what am I saying? Shut yo mouth!
RATING: **
|------------------------------|
\ ***** Perfection \
\ **** Good, memorable film \
\ *** Average, hits and misses \
\ ** Sub-par on many levels \
\ * Unquestionably awful \
|------------------------------|
MPAA Rating: R
Director: John Singleton
Producer: Scott Rudin, John Singleton
Writer: Richard Price
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey Wright,
Christian Bale, Dan Hedaya, Busta Rhymes, Toni Collette, Richard
Roundtree
http://www.shaft-themovie.com/
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Susan Granger
Susan Granger's review of "SHAFT" (Paramount Pictures)
When Samuel L. Jackson learned that director John Singleton
was doing "Shaft," his first reaction was, "Why do we need a remake?"
- which was mine, too. Gordon Parks's 1971 original, based on Ernest
Tidyman's novel, starring Richard Roundtree, was emblematic of the
vitality of the blaxploitation genre, plus Isaac Hayes' thematic
music. But Roundtree is back as the original Shaft, 29 years older -
and so's the theme. Jackson plays his nephew, NYPD detective John
Shaft, a different hero for a different time, fighting against hate
crimes and drugs. His character's more volatile, ruthless and
violent. And he views violence in a different way. When things get
dangerous, Jackson's Shaft kind of smiles, indicating, "I can handle
this." The plot revolves around a racially motivated homicide. Walter,
a spoiled young college kid ("American Psycho's" Christian Bale),
kills a young black student, skips bail, and flees the country for two
years - after hiring a tattooed thug (Jeffrey Wright) to kill the only
witness (Toni Collette) to the murder. When Walter sneaks back home,
Shaft finds him - but his father, once again, posts bail, so Walter's
back on the streets only, this time, he's after Shaft - along with two
corrupt cops (Dan Hedaya, Ruben Santiago-Hudson) and a Dominican drug
lord (Jeffrey Wright). Shaft's only allies are a colleague (Vanessa
Williams) and a streetwise buddy (Busta Rhymes). Director John
Singleton and writer Richard Price delve into the usual urban crime
scene, predictably punctuated by street-smart profanity, and come up
with a disappointing conclusion. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to
10, "Shaft" is a stylish, slick 6. It's hip and cool - if you dig that
"It's my duty to satisfy the booty" action. And a sequel's already in
the works.
Harvey S. Karten
Reviewed by Harvey Karten
Paramount Pictures
Director: John Singleton
Writer: Richard Price, John Singleton, Shane Salerno, novel
by Ernest Tidyman
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey
Wright, Christian Bale, Dan Hedaya, Busta Rhymes, Toni
Collette, Richard Roundtree, Philip Bosco, Will Chase,
Jennifer Esposito, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Josef Sommer
"Shaft" was the subject of a debate in the Online Film
Critics Society forum that brought almost a record number of
responses. A white male who is, I suspect, of a liberal
persuasion, wondered, "What is John Singleton aiming for
with his update of the lowly (by my standards) 'Shaft'? And
why would a black filmmaker want to reinvigorate the
blaxploitation genre, when it was clearly not a highpoint for
African-American cinema? In my opinion, Singleton should
keep on doing what he does best. Making truthful films about
real African-American life."
The liberal was skewered by a white woman whose politics
I is further to the left. "You shouldn't be so hasty to
take social entities out of context. Blaxploitation may not be
high art, but it was groundbreaking as far as African
American cinema goes. Just ask any African-American who
was around at the time when 'Shaft' came out. After decades
of enduring movies in which blacks were ridiculed and
dehumanized--experiences which they have described as
making them leave the theaters in shame, self-hatred and
embarrassment--they finally had their own cinema. And their
own heroes who prevailed against white racism. Singleton
likely became involved in this project to honor and pay
homage to his own racially visionary roots."
To which a third member responded, "I myself am black,
and I don't think blaxploitation is a low point, au contraire.
These are cool movies, dammit! Is there a cooler, badder
actress in movies than Pam Grier, black or not?
Blaxploitation is not about art, quality filmmaking or depth, it's
about music, clothes and attitude! As movies, films like
Dolemite or Superfly are mediocre at best, but man are these
dudes electrifying! I for one am looking forward to seeing the
new 'Shaft,' with Sam 'my middle name is attitude'
Jackson."
Watch "Shaft" and see the first speaker's faux-PC attitude
go up in smoke. Sure, there's a market for movies about "the
way black people really live today," but there's nothing
negative about so-called blaxploitation flicks. With Samuel L.
Jackson in the most charismatic good-guy role of this year,
"Shaft" is director/co-writer John Singleton's resoundingly
imaginative reinvention of the 1971 heavy sex-and-violence
groundbreaker, which featured Richard Roundtree in the title
role as Shaft.
Now, three decades later, Mr. Attitude returns, this time
taking advantage of some of the cinematic tricks learned
since the original. Happily, Singleton restrains himself on the
f/x, providing Shaft with only a single obviously faked image
as he announces his resignation from the sluggish justice
establishment by flinging his badge at the judge--who had just
provided absurdly low bail for a rich preppie accused of
homicide.
As sleek as "Mission Impossible 2" but a lot more fun,
"Shaft" opens on a note of high adrenaline as we are
introduced to the larger-than-life hero against the background
of Isaac Hayes's winning theme song, knocked out in much
the style it was tendered in the seventies. Shaft is on the
scene during an investigation into the sudden beating death
of a black man (Mekhi Phifer) and, through flashbacks
provided from the man's girl friend we learn that preppie
Walter Wade Jr. ("American Psycho"'s remarkable Christian
Bale) had provoked the guy by making racist remarks
astoundingly unsubtle considering Wade's class and
education. Shaft busts the perp, whose first utterance to the
cop is "Do you know who my father is?" to which Shaft
responds, "No...do you?" Much of the story's script follows
witty, easy-to-catch bon mots on this level, which is just part
of the fun in store for the audience.
The movie moves along at a staggering pace that if a
Thesaurus posited an antonym for "Waiting for Godot," this
would be the choice. Not only is the writing first-rate for the
genre, evoking predictably frequent merriment from its
audience, the tempo brisk, the outdoor scenes taken in
Brooklyn by photographer Donald E. Thorin authentic in look,
but most important the performances joyfully elicited from
Jackson, from Christian Bale, and especially from the
multi-talented dancer and stage actor Jeffrey Wright as a
comically vicious villain are right on the money.
Singleton draws solid work from an ensemble representing
every shade of human personality, from the corrupt cops-on-
the-take Jack Roselli (Dan Hedaya) and Jimmy Groves
(Ruben Santiago-Hudson), determined to gun Shaft down and
get their hands on some big bucks; from the affable but
ditzy Rasaan (Busta Rhymes) who is there for Shaft when his
driving skills are needed; and from the Vanessa Williams in
the relatively bland role of narcotics officer Carmen.
Gratifying as Samuel L. Jackson is, decked out in a long
leather jacket that virtually announces his wiseass attitude,
even more so are the performances of Christian Bale as
Walter Wade Jr. and especially Jeffrey Wright as Peoples
Hernandez. Wright performs as the feudal lord of his mostly
Puerto Rican neighborhood who in one of the movie's
precious scenes tries to persuade the equally tough and wily
Wade to line up some upscale white customers for his heroin
trade through his connections and even to hang out with him
in the posh neighborhoods and restaurants of Manhattan's
Upper East Side. Peoples Hernandez has got to be
"American Psycho"'s Patrick Bateman's major competitor for
most complex and absorbing villain of the year as he shows
various sides to his personality: his intense love for his
mowed-down brother which leads him masochistically to
inflict knife wounds on himself, his attention to an infant in his
arms in his downscale, ramshackle apartment, his negotiating
almost coyly with the preppie to give him access to the "best
people" on the Upper East Side, and flat-out rage against
Shaft against whom he ultimately focuses his vast energy.
While the cell phones and street gang attire remind us that
the setting is contemporary, hip moviegoers will recognize a
70s cop-movie style to the production, which is backed up by
a dynamic, funky soundtrack. Though a summer movie, this
"Shaft" is blessed by a marriage of all the elements that
make the genre fun: witty script, charismatic acting by the
good guys and knaves alike, superlative lensing, and a pace
that virtually dares any in the audience to fidget just once in
their seats.
Rated R. Running time: 98 minutes. (C) 2000 by
Harvey Karten, film_...@compuserve.com
Bob Bloom
Shaft (2000) 1 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Richard
Roundtree, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Busta
Rhymes, Dan Hedaya and Toni Collette. Music by David Arnold and Isaac
Hayes. Story by John Singleton and Shane Salerno. Screenplay by Richard
Price and Singleton and Salerno. Directed by Singleton.
The original "Shaft," when released in 1971, was big on attitude.
The movie worked because nothing like it had been seen before — and
because of the charisma of Richard Roundtree, the then-epitome of cool
as private eye John Shaft.
The film was helped along by a funky, driving score by Isaac Hayes as
well as his Oscar-winning Shaft theme song.
Jump ahead nearly 30 years and we have Samuel L. Jackson as Shaft. The
movie still has loads of attitude. But today’s audiences are more
sophisticated and demanding. Unfortunately this new "Shaft" offers very
little else.
Jackson, like Roundtree before him, is a commanding presence. He is an
actor who can dominate the screen. He also is one of those actors who
can rise above weak material — most of the time — as he did earlier this
year in "Rules of Engagement."
With young John Singleton directing, as well as having a hand in the
script, you’d think this "Shaft" would be a rousing action thriller, a
gritty homage to the original.
Think again. Singleton’s "Shaft" is flabby and disjointed.
The plot is a muddled mess, motivation is preposterous and some of the
characters are ridiculous, almost insulting.
Take Peoples, for example. He’s the villainous drug dealer. As
portrayed by Jeffrey Wright, he speaks with an accent that sounds as if
he’s doing a poor Desi Arnaz imitation. Any minute I expected to call
for Lucy and ask her to “esplain” what she’s doing.
He's not the only problem. The script by Singleton and Shane Salerno,
with help from Richard Price ("The Color of Money," "Clockers") is
unfocused.
The movie just jumps from one scene to another without any cohesion or
thought. It’s like Singleton just took what he filmed and glued it
together.
Luckily Jackson is in most scenes. But he appears to have problems
getting a handle on his Shaft. He can’t decide if he’s a tough mother
... (hey, we’re talkin’ about Shaft), or if he prefers to be a bit
tongue-in-cheek.
His persona seems to change from scene to scene, and he doesn’t seem to
be getting any assistance from Singleton.
Unlike Roundtree’s Shaft who became a P.I. because he felt the system
was corrupt and discriminated against his people, Jackson’s Shaft starts
out as a police detective, and leaves the force in disgust when he feels
the justice system has failed. He doesn’t necessarily become a P.I., but
more like a lone-wolf vigilante, with most of his former police partners
helping him out.
And while Roundtree appears in the film, he is wasted. His only scenes
involve him standing around and talking to his namesake nephew. He still
looks good, but it would have been nice to see the original Man in
action.
The plot deals with finding a witness to a 2-year-old murder. The
killer, a spoiled rich young bigot, played by Christian Bale, seems a
lightweight case for Shaft to handle. And some of the killer’s actions
make no sense whatsoever. How he and the thick-accented drug dealer come
to work together is just too silly to believe.
Plus this is one of those movies in which the bad guys fire hundreds of
rounds from automatic weapons and miss everything, while Shaft makes
bulls-eyes with every shot.
The bad guys are so inept, they are like the gang that couldn’t shoot
straight. They are most unworthy adversaries.
Smartly, Singleton retained Hayes’ original score without any updating.
David Arnold did a fine job adapting the music and adding some touches
of his own.
Overall, however, "Shaft" is a disappointment considering the talent in
front of and behind the camera. This is a movie that had potential. Too
bad it was wasted.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette,
IN . He can be reached by e-mail at bl...@journal-courier.com or at
bobb...@iquest.net
Reviews by Bloom can be found on the Web at the Internet Movie Database
at: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
Shannon Patrick Sullivan
Directed by John Singleton. Screenplay by Richard Price, from a story by
Singleton, Shane Salerno and Price, based on the novel Ernest Tidyman.
Starring Samuel L Jackson, Christian Bale, Jeffrey Wright. Running time:
98 minutes. Rated AA for offensive language and violent scenes by the
MFCB. Reviewed on June 18th, 2000.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
As I compose this review, I find myself resisting the temptation to write
the whole thing in early-Seventies urban slang. Fortunately, I think I
can last just long enough to grind out another nine-hundred-odd words.
Can ya dig it?
The stimulus behind this bizarre compulsion, of course, is the new action
movie "Shaft". I've not yet seen the original version, nor indeed any of
the so-called "blaxploitation" genre which blossomed in the Seventies, so
as I watched the updated edition I had little basis for comparison.
However, if the first "Shaft" is as enjoyable as this one, it will be a
rental to look forward to. The new "Shaft" is a good example of a summer
movie done right.
John Shaft (Samuel L Jackson) is a cop "too black for the uniform and too
blue for the brothers". He's an uneasy fit in the police department,
straining at the rules and regulations which govern his actions, and
sorely tempted by the offer of his uncle John (Richard Roundtree,
reprising his role from the original "Shaft" trilogy in a handful of
entertaining cameos, still oozing cool) to join his private detective
agency.
One night, Shaft is called to an upper-class club where a black man has
been brutally clubbed to death. Shaft soon identifies the killer as
Walter Wade Jr (Christian Bale), heir to a real estate empire. But a
judge lets Wade off with a bail amount insignificant in comparison to
either his bank account or the severity of his crime, and soon Wade has
fled to Switzerland.
Fast forward two years, and Shaft is tipped off to Wade's return to the
United States. But he is again allowed to post bail, causing a fed-up
Shaft to quit the force in disgust, vowing to get Wade his own way. Shaft
sets to work tracking down Diane Palmieri ("The Sixth Sense"'s Toni
Collette), the only eye witness to the murder, who has since vanished
without a trace. But Wade is also trying to find Diane, and has hired
another of Shaft's nemeses, drug lord Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright),
to silence her.
This year's first big summer action flicks -- "Mission: Impossible 2" and
"Gone In 60 Seconds" -- were both let down primarily by poor
scriptwriting. "Shaft" bucks the trend: the screenplay by Richard Price
is one of the film's biggest assets. The story is solid, engaging, and
frequently funny, and the characterisation is mostly top notch. The
action sequences are watchable if not really inventive, and enough twists
and turns are thrown into the mix to keep interest high.
Samuel L Jackson is in fine form as the title character, bringing
together an unusual mix of intensity and humor, not to mention Shaft's
trademark suave. He looks very impressive in a wardrobe consisting mostly
of long dark coats, with a bald head and a fearsome goatee. He seems to
shift from "approachable" to "indomitable" with but a glance. Jackson's
Shaft is in some ways reminiscent of his "Pulp Fiction" character, with
the same edgy humor and penchant for violence. Whereas Roundtree's Shaft
was known as much for his promiscuity as his crime-solving skills, this
version is far more single-minded in his search for Diane.
"Shaft" boasts not one but two stellar bad guys in Wade and Hernandez,
both very well-cast. Bale could easily have made Wade a continuation of
his starring role in "American Psycho", but plays this character as a
more grounded sort of villain, the kind that's evil not because he's
mentally ill but just because he can afford to be. Wade doesn't so much
kill because he enjoys it, but because he sees his victim as something
far less than himself.
Wright, meanwhile, portrays Peoples as an almost fey character, but with
a dangerous volatility all the same. Particularly pleasing is that both
Wade and Hernandez are given their own distinctive, rounded personalities
and individual raisons d'etre. "Shaft" avoids the trap of, say, the last
two "Batman" movies where one headlining villain stole the spotlight and
the other was relegated to grunt status. Some of the best sequences in
the entire movie come when Bale and Wright are interacting.
Also notable is rapper Busta Rhymes, who does an impressive comic turn as
Shaft's reluctant pseudo-sidekick, Rasaan. Further, the movie takes a
very unexpected risk with the character Luger, a bigoted police officer.
I thought Luger was being built up as the prototypical racist cop, but
was delighted when the movie totally subverted my assumptions. Luger is
not made out to be a nice or admirable character, of course, but I found
it interesting that Price chose to acknowledge a few shades of grey in
the midst of the usual racists-bad black-and-white palette. Lee Tergesen
manages to find just the right balance in the role.
Indeed, there are few stereotypes to be found in "Shaft". The only
notable exception to this is Jack Rosselli, a cop on Peoples' payroll.
Played by Dan Hedaya, Rosselli is a strong echo of Hedaya's "The
Hurricane" character. But even here expectations are twisted, as
Rosselli's partner in corruption is black. Indeed, "Shaft" is not about
black guys kicking white guys' butts, but an action flick which handles
issues of race more competently than is often the case. Shaft is black,
yes, and the film does not trivialise or dismiss the fact. But there is
more to the character; his race is part of what makes up John Shaft, not
the only thing.
Which is not suggest, of course, that this is a movie bogged down in the
politics of race relations. "Shaft" is foremost a popcorn movie, and does
not dwell too much upon such notions. But that such observations can be
drawn at all is indicative of the fact that "Shaft" is not just an action
movie, but an action movie with a brain. It might not be overly
ambitious, but it's definitely good entertainment. Damn right.
Copyright © 2000 Shannon Patrick Sullivan.
Archived at The Popcorn Gallery,
http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/Shaft.html
_______________________________________________________________________
/ Shannon Patrick Sullivan | "We are all in the gutter, but some of us \
| sha...@mun.ca | are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde |
\___________________________|__________________________________________/
| Popcorn Gallery Movie Reviews www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html |
| Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) /drwho.html |
Dustin Putman
Shaft * * 1/2 (out of * * * * )
Directed by John Singleton.
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Christian Bale, Jeffrey Wright, Vanessa Williams,
Toni Collette, Dan Hedaya, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Busta Rhymes, Richard
Roundtree, Josef Sommer, Lynne Thigpen, Lee Tergesen, Daniel Von Bargen,
Mekhi Phifer.
2000 - 98 minutes
Rated R (for profanity and violence).
Reviewed by Dustin Putman, June 17, 2000.
Without having seen Richard Roundtree in 1971's blaxploitation hit, "Shaft,"
this updated version, starring Samuel L. Jackson and directed by John
Singleton (1991's "Boyz N the Hood"), can safely stand on its own as a wildly
diverting, if one-note, action-comedy-drama that moves at such a
lickety-split pace, it's easy to get completely caught up in the happenings
on screen, while they are happening. Once they are over, the film ultimately
loses much of its novelty, but as an "in-the-moment" popcorn entertainment,
it works wonders.
Following the fatal beating of a young black man outside a New York City
nightclub, and the evidence pointing towards Walter Wade, Jr. (Christian
Bale), a wealthy bigot, NYPD investigator John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), one
of the biggest badasses to ever hit the silver screen, hops on the case. He
is quickly discharged, however, after giving Wade a taste of his own medicine
(i.e. punching him twice in the face for the wrong Shaft knows for certain he
did). Due to the one potential witness in the case, Diane Palmieri (Toni
Collette), disappearing, Wade is unjustifiably set a bale of only $1-million,
and before everyone knows it, he has skipped the country, relocating to
Switzerland.
Flash forward two years, John Shaft is now on the narcotics unit of the
police force, with a fellow cop partner in Carmen (Vanessa Williams). When
Shaft learns that Wade is making his grand return to the U.S., he makes sure
to be there for the plane arrival, and this time, he is certain that he can
put him behind bars for good. But first, Shaft must find Diane and persuade
her to testify in court, and dodge the increasing number of people in his
life who are working for Wade, including corrupt cops (Dan Hedaya, Ruben
Santiago-Hudson) and the wisecracking, hotshot Dominican druglord, Peoples
Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright).
Like the title character, "Shaft" wastes no time in drawing the viewer into
its derivative, yet engrossing, storyline. Nothing at all would matter,
though, if Shaft were not portrayed with the correct measures of sleek
coolness, attitude, and an at least somewhat tongue-in-cheek tone. In Samuel
L. Jackson, director Singleton has found the perfect actor, and in "Shaft,"
the clearly talented Jackson has found what is possibly his most outstanding
role, to date. The acting abilities of Jackson have never been doubted, but
he also has never jumped so vibrantly off the screen as he does here, playing
the character he was born to play. In short, he is funny, likable, oh-so-kewl,
and projects a distinct joy of performing.
Supporting Jackson is a top-notch cast, not all of whom are used to their
highest potential, but who are fine, all the same. Christian Bale, in a role
that is virtually identical to the one he played in "American Psycho," is
fabulous and appropriately chilling, turning his one-dimensional bad guy into
one of the most memorable characters, and most impressive acting turns, in
the entire film. Jeffrey Wright, as Peoples, is the secondary villain of the
piece, and he is so good it is difficult to believe he is the same man who
starred in 1996's "Basquiat." Fresh off her Academy Award nomination for "The
Sixth Sense," Toni Collette does a respectable job as Diane Palmieri, but has
little to do. And Vanessa Williams, as Carmen, is, in essence, the straight
man to Shaft's flashier persona, and equips herself with a good-natured
blandness.
With Shaft's groovy token theme song, by Isaac Hayes, prominently appearing
at several points throughout, as far as can be told, "Shaft" successfully
recaptures the feel of the 1971 original, but with a bare minimum of sexual
innuendo. The film is action-lite, the type of high-spirited motion picture
that knows it isn't great art, but thrives on this fact. Director Singleton,
along with coscreenwriters Richard Price and Shane Salerno, and star Jackson,
have all put their heads and hearts together to create a movie that will
delight anyone looking for a big, silly action movie that seemingly succeeds
without really trying, and doesn't add up to a whole lot in the long run.
Special Note: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer should be especially distressed to
learn that the car chases within this film are infinitely more thrilling and
fun than in his recent "Gone in 60 Seconds," a complete misfire that is
supposed to be all about chase sequences, but never gets it right.
- Copyright 2000 by Dustin Putman
Http://www.young-hollywood.com
Http://www.atnzone.com
Michael Dequina
Cinematically speaking, Gordon Parks' original 1971 _Shaft_ is not a
great film. A bit slow at times and more than a little rough around the
edges as it builds to its climactic explosion of violent action, this
spirited but formulaic yarn that initially brought Ernest Tidyman's
"black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks" to the big
screen hardly qualifies as groundbreaking filmmaking.
Yet nearly 30 years after its original release--and long after the genre
it spawned, "blaxploitation," died with that decade--the 1971 _Shaft_
remains an extremely entertaining watch, never having completely escaped
pop culture consciousness. The reason for this is the same one that
explains the film's connection with moviegoers far beyond the target
African-American audience: the title character of John Shaft. While the
fact that the strong, smart, virile, and superbly suave Shaft is black is
the primary factor for his historical and cultural significance, his
broad-based appeal stems from an idea that transcends race: he is
comfortable, confident, and proud about who he is, and anyone who had a
problem with that could simply kiss his ass.
This fact also explains why John Singleton's Y2G revival of John Shaft
is as enjoyable as it is. Much like the film that started the franchise,
this _Shaft_'s plot doesn't score points in the originality department,
but the energy level and smooth attitude distinguishes it from standard
crime thrillers.
Contrary to what has been reported over the past few months, this
_Shaft_ is not a remake of the original film, but more of a
sequel/spinoff. The star audiences know and love from the original film
and its first two sequels (1972's _Shaft's_Big_Score!_ and 1973's
_Shaft_in_Africa_), Richard Roundtree, once again plays John Shaft, who
still runs a private investigation firm in New York City. However, the
focus of the film lies on his same-named nephew (Samuel L. Jackson), who,
as the film begins, is a cop whose take-no-crap demeanor constantly
leaves him at odds with his superiors. When a privileged young man named
Walter Wade Jr. (Christian Bale) accused of a brutal, racially-motivated
murder is allowed to be released on bail, a disgusted Shaft leaves the
force and decides to take matters into his own hands as a P.I.
But that's easier said than done, for also standing in the way of Shaft
and his way of justice is Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright), a Dominican
gangster who is hired by Walter to rub out waitress Diane Palmieri (Toni
Collette), the only eyewitness to his crime. Peoples--or, rather, Wright
is also the big obstacle in Jackson's way toward commanding this film.
Peoples is more of an outrageous comic character for most of the running
time, and Wright is insanely funny during these stages. However, he
isn't so funny as to make the character come off as goofy and buffoonish,
and Peoples' eventual turn to more serious villainy is seamless and
believable (which probably would not have been the case had he been
played by original casting choice John Leguizamo, who bowed out before
filming). It's no easy task to steal a film from the Jackson (who is his
usual captivating, charismatic self here), but that's exactly what Wright
does--and makes it seem effortless.
Then again, with such a talented ensemble surrounding him, it is not too
surprising that Jackson's impressive star turn doesn't quite tower over
the rest; he is strongly complemented not only by Wright but all his
other co-stars. Bale has already proven his ability to play an uppity
killer in _American_Psycho_, so it only follows that his performance as a
similar, less exaggerated character would be spot-on. Collette lends the
film some convincing and welcome dramatic weight as the frightened,
conflicted Diane. Busta Rhymes brings some good laughs as Shaft's
sidekick Rasaan. Registering not as strongly--but through no fault of
their own--are Vanessa Williams (as tough narcotics cop Carmen Vasquez)
and a dismayingly underused Roundtree; they simply are given little to do
in the script credited to Richard Price, Singleton, and Shane Salerno.
(Jackson also has little to "do" in a sense; some throwaway footage
during the opening credits aside, his Shaft doesn't even have one sex
scene.)
That Singleton once again proves his ability with actors is an
especially good thing since he's not really an action director. This is
not to say that he does a bad job with the numerous gunfights and the
requisite foot and car chases. They move well (as does the film as a
whole) and are reasonably exciting; it's just that there's nothing
terribly inventive about them. These set pieces are functional in the
way the script is: they work well enough, but they're unsurprising and
conventional.
But if there's anything that a _Shaft_ movie does well, it's make the
familiar look cool--and this _Shaft_ keeps that tradition alive. From
the slick title sequence--scored, of course, to Isaac Hayes'
ever-infectious Oscar-winning theme song, which Singleton wisely
sprinkles throughout the film--on, the film looks great and easily sweeps
the viewer into its world with its energetic bravado. Even a common
visual trick such as employing fancy wipes for scene transitions not only
feels unforced, it feels necessary. Style doesn't exactly make for a
great film, but when it comes to _Shaft_, that's of little consequence.
What matters above all else is having a good time, and the latest _Shaft_
should be just the first of many fun rides to be had with this bad
mutha--shut your mouth.
Michael Dequina
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Ram Samudrala
Shaft
http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies/shaft.html
/Shaft/ is yet another sequel (the fourth, if I recall right) to the
classic original with the same name. Partly also a remake, the movie
is edgy with Samuel Jackson delivering a great performance as John
Shaft, but the plot is highly disjointed and unfocused.
John Shaft (Samuel Jackson), the nephew of John Shaft (Richard
Roundtree, reprising his original role in a nice cameo), is a New York
City police detective who is decidedly angry. The reason for Shaft's
anger has to do with the judge allowing Walter Wade Jr. (Christina
Bale), a young white boy and the son of a wealthy tycoon with
connections, who has murdered a young black boy, to flee to
Switzerland. A year later, Walter returns, firmly convinced that his
father's influence can get him off. There's a fly in the ointment:
Shaft knows that there was a young waitress (Toni Collette) who
witnessed Wade commit the murder. To clean the slate, Walter must also
silence her and runs into a Latino drug dealer, Peoples Hernandez
(Jeffrey Wright), who he recruits to him in his cause. Aided by
fellow detective Carmen Vasquez (Vanessa Williams), Shaft not only
must battle Walter and Peoples, but also corrupt officers in the force
who are in league with Peoples.
Even though /Shaft/ is supposed to be set in modern times, it is
reminiscent of a time where there was a greater dichotomy between
blacks and whites. In fact, except for the enhanced technology, one
could easily believe the time period was in the early 70s. Part of
this is because of the score, which uses Isaac Hayes' classic theme
as-is (though today hearing Hayes' voice simply reminds me of Chef
from /South Park/, who in turn reminds me more of John Shaft than
Samuel Jackson does, minus the violent aspect).
As I say above, the plot is really sub-par. Shaft himself doesn't
have to do much except orchestrate a situation where Walter, Peoples,
and the corrupt officers are at each others' throats. However, the
movie isn't about the plot---it's about John Shaft, politically
corrected for the 90s. The most compelling aspect of the film is
Samuel Jackson's portrayal of the crime fighter. When he says
"mother fucker", it's done in a menacing way that no one can mimic.
Jackson projects cool throughout the film and any deficiencies in the
story are easily overcome by his strong presence. Bale, who plays a
role reminiscent of the one in /American Psycho/, and Wright, who has
a remarkable accent, make for strong and disturbing villains.
The /Shaft/ phenomenon is considered "blaxploitation", but in my view,
it's also quite misogynistic. Regardless of all the
pseudo-intellectual analysis, /Shaft/ is simply great summer
entertainment. While the ending left me feeling a bit empty (I'd
rather have a seen more prolonged action finale), it was also
provocative. I highly recommend the film.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Movie ram-blings: http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies.html
Berge Garabedian
RATING: 7.5/10 --> Very good movie
For more reviews and movie wallpapers, visit http://www.joblo.com/
This film is not a remake of the original 1971 film starring Richard
Roundtree as the baddest mutha on the streets of New York, but an update,
starring the ultimate cool man, Sam Jackson, as the nephew of the original
Shaft character. By now, I think we've all heard the reports about director
Singleton messing around with the extras on the set and playing loud music
(how about lightening up a little, Mr. Rudin...the man knows how to enjoy
life, give him a break!), and the supposed rifts between Jackson and the
director, with everyone and their uncle having an opinion on the script. But
all that aside, the real question is...does the film entertain? Simply
put...f**kin' aye!
PLOT:
Detective John Shaft quits the police force after the system fails to put
away a rich, white boy who committed a racially motivated murder. He decides
to take the law into his own hands, roaming the streets of the city in
search of his own brand of justice.
CRITIQUE:
Is this a "bad" movie? You bet it is! "Bad" in the good sense, of course.
Take a hip character, a decent story line, a bit of violence, a bit of
action, an awesome score and some great performances from Wright, Bale and
the bad mutha himself, Sam Jackson, and enjoy this film as the gritty urban
crime drama that it is. I just loved the whole mood of this flick, with its
dark city shadows, its cool scene transitions, and its rapid pace, all of
which switched my gear to "fun" about two minutes in. In fact, about halfway
through the movie, I was already looking forward to sequels from the man,
which would definitely be a welcome addition to the sorry ass state of black
heroes in Hollywood today. Let's get Shaft to fly to Europe and kick some
French ass or something! The possibilities are endless. And who better than
Mr. Samuel L. Jackson in the lead role? Wow. If there ever was a role made
for anyone, it is the role of Shaft made for Jackson. The wicked fu-manchu
mustache, the slick clothes, the whole black Dirty Harry attitude, all
seemed to fit Jackson like a tight, leather glove. In fact, it is his
charismatic performance, along with those from Bale and Wright, which
actually take this movie a couple of notches above its standard TV cop drama
plot line.
Don't get me wrong, the story was actually pretty interesting, but not
really anything to get worked up about. In fact, there were even a couple of
plot holes which I let slide because of the whole kickass attitude of the
film itself. I gotta give it to Singleton, who seemed to have been slacking
according to crappy media reports from the set, he managed to create a fun,
quick-paced film here, although more reminiscent of last year's PAYBACK than
the original SHAFT film. In fact, like most everyone who saw this flick, I
was quite disappointed with the lack of girl-play for Shaft, and certainly
would've appreciated more sexual innuendo and even more profanity. I mean,
this is Shaft for God's sakes...the baddest mutha on the streets! Let him
loose! But those are just little qualms within the bigger picture which
truly did keep me entertained throughout. In fact, the performance from
Jeffrey Wright alone is worth the price of admission. He pulls off one of
the most over-the-top Tony Montana impressions since Pacino ate it up
himself in 1983's SCARFACE. In fact, his character makes the Benicio Del
Toro character from THE USUAL SUSPECTS actually sound coherent.
All in all, a fun reincarnation of a classic blaxploitation film whose
funky, slick score is as big a part of the movie as the action itself. Now,
shut yer mouth and go see this movie!
Little Known Facts about this film and its stars:
Some of Samuel L. Jackson's earlier film roles include "Gang Member No. 2"
in 1981's RAGTIME, the "black guy" in SEA OF LOVE (ironically, the
screenwriter of this film, Richard Price, also wrote that film), and "Stax
Edwards" in the classic Scorsese mob drama GOODFELLAS. His breakthrough role
came right after his kicked his own drug habit, when he starred as a
strung-out dope fiend in Spike Lee's 1991 movie JUNGLE FEVER.
Richard Roundtree, who played Shaft in the original 70s movies, returns as
Uncle John in this film. The original SHAFT film was followed up with two
sequels: SHAFT'S BIG SCORE and SHAFT IN AFRICA. There was also a short-lived
1973-74 TV series featuring Roundtree in a tamer incarnation.
The man behind the hippest score of the year, Isaac Hayes, is the same man
who did the score in the original film, and is better known nowadays as the
voice of Chef in TV's "South Park". He also performed the song "Chocolate
Salty Balls" on the 1999 South Park album.
All the cool clothes worn by Samuel L. Jackson in this picture were provided
for by a little stylish company named Giorgio Armani.
This film was originally titled SHAFT RETURNS.
Review Date: June 18, 2000
Director: John Singleton
Writers: Richard Price, John Singleton and Shane Salerno
Producers: Scott Rudin and John Singleton
Actors: Samuel L. Jackson as John Shaft
Christian Bale as Walter Williams
Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez
Genre: Action
Year of Release: 2000
------------------------------------
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(c) 2000 Berge Garabedian
Scott Renshaw
(Paramount)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christian Bale, Jeffrey Wright, Vanessa
Williams, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes.
Screenplay: Richard Price and John Singleton & Shane Salerno, based on
the novel by Ernest Tidyman.
Producers: Scott Rudin and John Singleton.
Director: John Singleton.
MPAA Rating: R (violence, profanity, adult themes)
Running Time: 97 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
The promotional material for John Singleton's new film includes the
following copy: "Samuel L. Jackson. SHAFT. Any questions?" Assuming the
question isn't rhetorical, I'd like to pose one: Exactly why is this film
called SHAFT, anyway? The original 1971 "blaxploitation" film may look
rough and ridiculously dated to contemporary eyes -- it's hard to take
seriously any film in which the word "whitey" plays such a prominent role
-- but it was a fairly revolutionary portrayal of an African-American
anti-hero as tough, sexual and beholden to absolutely no one. The presence
of Isaac Hayes' famous theme song may tell you this is SHAFT, but is this
story the one described in those famous lyrics?
"Who's the black private dick ..." Not this John Shaft (Samuel
L. Jackson), who is a New York police detective when the film begins,
investigating the death of a young black man outside a bar. The prime
suspect is Walter Wade Jr. (Christian Bale), who walks thanks to his rich
father's connections and spends two years hiding out in Switzerland.
Shaft is ready for him when he finally returns, but getting a conviction
will mean finding witness Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette), who has chosen
to disappear. When Wade is released on bail yet again, Shaft quits the
force and goes vigilante, attempting to locate Diane before Wade can have
her killed by drug lord Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright). And maybe his
private dick Uncle John (Richard Roundtree) can lend some support.
" ... who's a sex machine to all the chicks ..." The 1971 original
was an audacious film in its low-budget way, including a scene in which
Shaft (Roundtree) has sex with a white woman. It's depressing to realize
that mainstream Hollywood continues to be as timid as it ever was in
portraying the sexuality of black men. Aside from a stylized montage over
the opening credits, Jackson's Shaft is practically asexual. Where
Roundtree's Shaft defied every easy presumption about him -- he was just
as disdainful of low-life brothers as he was of low-life honkies --
Jackson's Shaft makes use of his street connections to bring down a rich
white guy, with no visible personal life getting in the way.
"Who's the cat who won't cop out when there's danger all about ..."
There's plenty of danger all about in SHAFT, with two extremely effective
villains. Bale may be radiating the same arrogant, upscale sleaze he
brought to AMERICAN PSYCHO, but he sure has nailed it. Wade is an easy
reptile to root against, as is Jeffrey Wright's intense Peoples. Some
viewers may find his performance the most outrageous Latino crime boss
parody since Pacino tore up his Cuban accent in SCARFACE. I found
something compelling and creepy about Peoples, from his manic
self-mutilation to his casual con artistry. Between the two of them, Bale
and Wright could have been the anchors of a better-than-average cop
thriller, one that didn't have a title immediately creating a different
set of expectations.
"They say that he's a bad mutha ..." No question, Samuel L. Jackson
can be a bad mutha. His glare is as menacing as anyone's in film today,
easily making him the toughest guy to intimidate in any room. In fact,
there's so much emphasis on making him tough in a mad-as-hell way that
Jackson never captures Shaft's toughness in an I-don't-have-anything-to-
prove-to-anyone way. Throughout the film, it becomes ever more clear that
Singleton has either misunderstood what made John Shaft such an important
screen character or found himself unable to convey that same essence. He
also found himself unable to build a story that means anything, resorting
to a climax that may be intended as a triumph over the system but
ultimately renders the previous 90 minutes of action utterly pointless.
I can't deny that I might have felt much more positively about SHAFT
if it hadn't set itself up for comparison to an iconic film. There are
some solidly entertaining moments here, perhaps enough to satisfy viewers
with little or no awareness of the history behind the title. But there's
that title before the film, a title that just feels wrong for what follows
it on the screen.
"Shut your mouth ..." They're just not talkin' about Shaft. And I
can't dig it.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 lax-ploitations: 5.
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Homer Yen
by Homer Yen
(c) 2000
When Detective Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) says, "don't
make me chase you," the bad guy better be able to
escape. When Detective Shaft is involved in a shoot
out, the bad guy better not miss. When Detective
Shaft is on a mission, you better stay out of his way.
If you don't, he'll come at you with the fury of a
tornado. He's a man to be reckoned with, and he'll do
whatever it takes to get things done.
Shaft will have to take matters into his own hands if
he is to find closure with his latest case, which
involves the death of a young, black man at a local
club. Arrogantly confessing to the crime is Wade
(Christian Bale), son of a wealthy and well-respected
community member. He gloats about what he did and
chuckles to Shaft that he'll be released on bail and
that nothing will ever happen to him. Because no
witnesses will testify and Wade has squirrelly
lawyers, he easily posts bail and walks away.
Shaft is incensed. He wonders how justice can be so
blind. But he knows what to do. He must find a
witness to the murder. Using his unique brand of
sleuthing skills, which means invariably demanding
favors or threatening people, he is able to locate
Diane (Toni Collette). She was a bartender at the
club that night who actually saw the crime take place.
She has been silent, fearing that testifying against
such a powerful person would be extremely dangerous.
Shaft promises to keep her safe, but when Wade finds
out about Diane's intentions, he wants to have her
permanently silenced.
"Shaft" (the man and the movie) is mostly about
attitude and style. Jackson is very confident,
sporting a wicked goatee while clad in leather pants,
a leather overcoat, and sleek sunglasses. The women
just love him ("it's my duty to please your booty," he
says to one of them). He talks tough, walks tall, and
never let's you down. Meanwhile, the film showcases
the nostalgic look and feel of a 70's film. It has a
soundtrack unique to that era, features Richard
Roundtree (who was the original Shaft), and includes
Isaac Hayes (who sang the original) singing the
opening song.
Yet, about two-thirds of the way into the film, the
glaze of the "Starsky & Hutch"-like soundtrack and
Shaft's penchant to insult and intimidate may begin to
bore you. You discover that the film is spiritlessly
plotted and lacks a rewarding dramatic arc. It also
becomes oddly chaotic as it approaches the final
climactic scenes. New people seem to come out of
nowhere, and there is a very busy shoot out sequence
where dozens of bad guys are crammed into a small
apartment.
There are heroes that use intelligence to best their
opponents and there are heroes that use weapons to
defeat their enemies. But Detective Shaft (Samuel L.
Jackson) virtually taunts them into submission. He
reminds us that fighting crime is a tough business,
and it requires an equally rugged individual to get
things done. He stares down his opponents, spews
threats like a volcano spews lava, and takes matters
into his own hands when he thinks, for example, that a
pistol whipping might get the point across more
effectively. This guy is one tough mutha.
Grade: C+
S: 1 out of 3
L: 3 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
__________________________________________________
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Frankie Paiva
rated R
98 minutes
Paramount Pictures
starring Samuel L. Jackson, Christian Bale, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey
Wright, Toni Collette, and Busta Rhymes
written by Richard Price
from the novel by Ernest Tidyman
directed by John Singleton
A Review by Frankie Paiva
Considering that casting director Ilene Starger rounded up a great cast
including all of the names above, Dan Hedaya, and Richard Roundtree I really
expected more from this movie. Shaft certainly kicks butt, but there are too
many underdeveloped characters around him. The plot is very weak, twisting
itself in all possible ways to attain more onscreen violence. Strong violence
may have been a trademark of blaxploitation movies of the 1970s, but it
doesn't need to be here. While most assaults are only worth mild cringes,
Shaft works more as a modern action flick than a gritty ode to the original
Shaft, Superfly, and all those Pam Grier movies. Too bad it takes the latter
road.
John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) nephew of the original Shaft (Richard
Roundtree in a cameo) is a police detective turned private eye. When a racist
killing happens outside a night club, he's determined to bring the hateful
perpetrator Walter Willaims (Christian Bale) to justice. Walter flees to
Europe. Two years days later Shaft joins up with a narcotics team headed by
Carmen (Vanessa L. Williams). Since the suspect has returned from a very long
trip to Switzerland, the case gets resumed. Together the group searches for
the scared witness who saw it all (Toni Collette). Peoples (Jeffrey Wright)
is a drug dealer that will have an effect on everyone. He gets involved with
two corrupt cops from the narcotics team. He also gets paid to kill the
witness. The greed and betrayals that ensue ensure a machine gun happy good
time.
With such a flimsy plot this movie relies almost entirely on Samuel L.
Jackson's lead performance. Luckily, it is a very good one. At fifty-one,
Jackson can still beat the bad guys with graceful ease. His ultra-cool
persona gets perfectly completed with black leather everything and a blinding
shining bald head. Shaft is one big bad "motherlover." One couldn't say that
for the rest of the cast. While Busta Rhymes and Jeffrey Wright make
impressions, there's no real reason Vanessa L. Williams needed to be in this
at all. The same goes for Christian Bale whose performance was flat. Toni
Collette, who was great in Muriel's Wedding and The Sixth Sense tries to make
something out of her thankless role. Any scene without Shaft seems boring and
stupid, but the scenes with him are marvelous. David Arnold's score along
with the Shaft theme from Issac Hayes really heighten the experience. Getting
louder at appropriate periods of action, it's the only consistently good
thing here. The fast pace of events comes to a grinding halt a third of the
way into the movie. Ninety-eight minutes isn’t too long, but the film seemed
considerably longer than it was. To top it off there is virtually no sex in
this remake. What happened to the private dick with all the chicks? The
minuscule amount of sex that occurs involves Shaft uttering pickup lines
like, "It's my duty to please that booty." Every line like this seems forced
and uncomfortable from Jackson.
Usual action movie clichés are present. It’s pretty unlikely that of the at
least two hundred bullets fired at Shaft and crew, not one hits its intended
target. Our hero seems invincible. Perhaps shots of Shaft slowly walking down
a dark alley with his long black leather coat fluttering in the wind are
purposely reminiscent of Batman. Regardless, they definitely best portray the
man’s image. If anything, this movie has a slam bang unexpected ending. One
the audience and I didn’t see coming. If more gasps like this got worked into
the plot structure, the movie would be much more enjoyable. A stronger script
providing better chances for better acting would also have made this far
superior. I couldn't help feeling cheated by Shaft. It wasn't nearly as fun
as it could have been.
C
Frankie Paiva
Swp...@aol.com
http://www.homestead.com/cinemaparadise/mainpage.html
Christian Pyle
Shaft
Reviewed by Christian Pyle
Directed by John Singleton
Written by Richard Price
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian
Bale, and Busta Rhymes
Grade: A-
There's a new Shaft in town, kids, and he's pissed. In an update to the
still-popular 1970's Shaft franchise, NYPD detective John Shaft (Samuel L.
Jackson) arrests preppie Walter Wade (Christian Bale of "American Psycho")
for bashing a black man's brains out in a racist rage. Wade skips bail and
runs off to Switzerland, while Shaft is exiled to a precinct in the slums for
punching Wade. Two years later, Shaft is fighting the local drug lord,
Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright of "Basquiat"), when Wade comes back to
town. To save his butt, Wade hires Peoples to kill the only witness to the
murder (Toni Collette of "The Sixth Sense"). Shaft has to find her first
while fighting off corrupt cops (Dan Hedaya and Ruben Santiago-Hudson) and
Peoples' thugs. He gets a little help from a fellow cop (Vanessa L.
Williams) and a comedy sidekick (Busta Rhymes).
The new "Shaft" is not a remake of the 1971 original. Wisely, the filmmakers
take a "next generation" approach. Jackson's John Shaft is the nephew of the
original, and "Uncle J." (Richard Roundtree) is still an anti-establishment
private eye and is still cool after almost 30 years. Gordon Parks, the
director of the original "Shaft," also makes a cameo appearance (sitting in a
bar with John Singleton, the director of the new flick), and Isaac Hayes
contributes a new rendition of the classic theme song.
So how does the Y2K Shaft measure up? He's certainly "the cat who won't cop
out when there's danger all about." Jackson's Shaft is even more tenacious
and driven than Roundtree's. He's also "a bad mutha" (shut yo' mouth) who
doesn't mind breaking a suspect's nose or pistol-whipping a street punk. But
he's not a "black private dick" or a "sex machine with all the chicks."
Shaft Jr. seems to remain a quasi-cop even after quitting the force in
disgust, and he does only a token bit of sex-machining. Of course,
Roundtree's Shaft lived in the hedonistic 70's (and still does -- in one shot
Uncle J. leaves a bar with a chick under each arm), while his nephew lives in
the post-AIDS era of caution. The potential romance with Officer Carmen
(Williams) never comes off either, and she seems strangely like the sexless
"girl Friday" characters who aided 40's detectives. Still, the new Shaft is
every bit as suave as his namesake and even more sensitive. He's "a
complicated man, and no one understands him": the new Shaft is a compelling
mixture of streetwisdom and naïve idealism, anger and compassion.
I was worried that this addition to the Shaft series would be an overblown
80's-style action flick in the "Die Hard" tradition with a band of
international terrorists taking over something and gigantic explosions
aplenty. Luckily, Singleton and screenwriter Richard Price stay true to
Shaft as a neighborhood hero. The bad guys are a rich punk with a bad temper
and "a two-bit three-block drug dealer," but they provide enough trouble for
Shaft to keep the action coming.
At first glance, "Shaft" seems an unusual venture for Singleton, whose four
previous films ("Boyz N the Hood," "Poetic Justice," "Higher Learning," and
"Rosewood") were all high-minded dramas on serious racial subjects. But his
foray into the summer action genre also has more serious overtones. The
world Singleton depicts is filled with racism and corruption, both embodied
by the white characters and by institutions like the police force and the
courts. The political content does not distract from the action, but instead
gives it a deeper texture by contextualizing Shaft's righteous anger.
"Shaft" is not only a worthy addition to the 70's series; it's the best of
the lot. The story is much tighter and moves faster; the direction is slick
and skillful. The performances by Jackson, Bale and Wright are stupendous.
This is sure to be the crowd-pleaser of the summer.
Bottom line: Shaft is back, damn right!
© 2000 Christian L. Pyle
Read my reviews and others at the Mad Review:
http://www.madreview.com/main.html
Laura Clifford
-----
Shaft. Can you dig it?
In 1971, Richard Roundtree starred as "the cat who won't cut out, when there's
danger all about" in Gordon Parks's seminal blaxploitation film, "Shaft." That
film spawned two sequels and a TV series. Now, nearly 30 years later, Samuel L.
Jackson reprises the role of the title character, this time as the NYPD cop and
nephew of the legendary black private dick. John Singleton ("Boyz 'N the Hood")
directs the new "Shaft" and puts an updated and contemporary spin on the
original concept.
ROBIN:
John Shaft is a well-respected New York City detective assigned to a case
involving the brutal beating of a young black man in a racially motivated
incident. The prime suspect is Walter Wade Jr. (Christian Bale), the scion of a
powerful, billionaire real estate tycoon with huge clout in the city. When
Shaft arrests the arrogant young man, he learns that there may have been an
eyewitness to the assault. The victim dies and Shaft becomes the champion of
the murdered boy's mother and vows to take Wayne Jr. down.
Money talks, however, and Wayne is released on a pittance of bail, only to flee
the country to escape prosecution. The witness, Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette),
has also gone to ground, so Shaft's vendetta against Wayne comes to an abrupt
halt with no culprit and no witness. Flash forward two years. Shaft gets a tip
that the younger Wade is sneaking back into the country and catches the killer
cold. But, once again, political influence and money are more powerful than
justice is and Wayne is released on bail. Shaft, disgusted with the corrupt
proceedings, hurls his badge at the judge and vows to quit the force and
resolve the gross miscarriage of justice himself.
Shaft realizes that the only way he is going to take Wayne Jr. down is to find
Diane. Wayne knows this, too, and hires a small time drug dealer, Peoples
Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright), to ferret out the only person who can put Wayne
behind bars. Peoples contracts a pair of corrupt detectives to help out in the
search by tailing Shaft and reporting his moves. It becomes a race against the
clock as the disgruntled detective lays his life on the line to protect Diane.
John Singleton co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Price and Shane Salerno and
they come up with a hip, fast-moving action adventure that pays homage to the
original and the best of the blaxploitation genre. From the opening credits,
with the familiar sound of Isaac Hayes singing the original title song, to the
cheesy wipes between scenes and the sometimes equally cheesy score, we are
seeing a film that dedicates itself to the genre. But, the new "Shaft" still
maintains its modern, edgy nature that has evolved in film since the 70's.
"Shaft" is a heartfelt homage to the genre.
Samuel L. Jackson is John Shaft personified. The actor has always been a
favorite of my mine and I had high expectations for him as the new age Shaft.
He does not disappoint. The actor captures the sassy, irreverent nature of
Roundtree's original while giving the role his own imprint. Jackson has the
ability to switch from amiable to brutal in the wink of an eye, which suits the
character perfectly. If there isn't a sequel or two coming out of this, I'll be
hornswaggled.
Supporting cast is first rate with Jeffrey Wright making the biggest splash as
the flamboyant Hispanic drug dealer, Peoples. Wright is an extraordinary
character actor and almost leaps off the screen as the small statured, but
volatile and violent, drug lord. The actor is a true chameleon in his acting
and gives an attention grabbing perf. When a shootout ends in a tragic loss
for the Peoples, the agony and vengeance he feels is palpable. The actor
maintains his edge from beginning to end.
And the rest of the cast isn't shabby, either. Vanessa L. Williams goes
completely out of her usual glamour roles and plays a tough, capable cop, and
Shaft's friend and partner, Carmen Vasquez. It's hard to hide the actress's
beautiful looks, but her costuming as a no nonsense police officer does a good
job of hiding her inherent sexiness and allows Carmen's persona to come to the
surface. Christian Bale does a mini version of his recent, outrageous Patrick
Bateman in "American Psycho," but with a cocky toughness, not lunacy. He's
overshadowed by Wright's brilliant performance, though, and becomes more an
object than a character by the end of the film. Toni Collete, who can be
terrific, is merely OK as the fugitive witness, Diane. It's not her fault,
though, as there is little for her to do except be the target of everyone's
search. Richard Roundtree gets to play up the gracefully aging private eye and
ladies' man as John's Uncle John.
Tech credits are tops with cinematographer Donald Thorin capturing the feel of
the original but with an up to date image that is slick and new Millennium. The
frequent night shots are crisp and the action scenes and shootouts are tight.
Costume designer Ruth E. Carter gets high marks with her design of Shaft's
mostly black wardrobe, making him look like an avenging wraith when in action.
Editing is brisk and suits the fast pace that Singleton maintains in the just
over 90 minute flick. Brevity has its charms.
The only problems with the all-new "Shaft" are some enormous plot holes and a
trite, almost perfunctory ending that doesn't quite satisfy, detracting from
the rest of the film. I had me some good fun, still, and give it a B.
LAURA:
Director John Singleton ("Boyz in the Hood") breaks out of a slump with a
suprisingly adept, worthwhile remake in his modernized "Shaft." Samuel
L. Jackson is John Shaft, newphew of the original John Shaft (Richard
Roundtree, who appears in this film as well) from the 1971 film which
epitomized the Blaxploitation film.
This new Shaft begins as a member of the NYPD (Uncle John was and still is
a P.I.) whose vigilante urges cause a despicable hate crime murderer (Christian
Bale as rich kid William Wade) to make bail and leave the country. Shaft
hurls his badge at the judge and becomes a true vigilante (when he's not
bedding the numerous women lining up for the privilege) until we see the
'Two Years Later' subtitle which precedes Wade's return to the U.S. (In
a major plot hole, which is either a result of editting for run time or a
huge problem with Shane Salerno's ("Armageddon") screenplay) the audience
is never given a single reason why Wade would return to face murder charges,
except for the arrogance of wealth.)
Wade encounters another Shaft adversary, drug lord Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey
Wright, "Basquiat"), once Shaft's ensured Wade's weekend in the clink, and
Peoples is drawn to Wade's lifestyle (Peoples covets class). Wade, knowing
that Shaft has an ace-in-the-hole witness (Toni Collette, "The Sixth Sense," as
Diane Palmieri), approaches Peoples to take her out, once he's infuriatingly
out on bail for a second time (the judge's concession to not being totally
bought this time around is to demand empoundment of Wade's passport). Peoples
asks for admittance to Wade's world, which Wade dismisses out of hand, but
Peoples gets his revenge for when Wade gets mugged of the hit payment
(oh yeah, there are two corrupt cops playing everyone against the other, too,
although Shaft is clever enough to pull off the mugging and lay it at their
doorstep as a betrayal of Peoples) and is forced to deal drugs for him.
There are some big plots holes, mostly concerning Wade's storyline, but
Singleton keeps the story moving along so energetically and stages the
action so kineticly (kudos to cinematographer Donald E. Thorin, "Thief,"
as well) that the film's coolness and entertainment value outweigh it's
problems. Heck - this is far better than the original.
Samuel L. Jackson oozes cool as John 'It's my duty to please that booty'
Shaft. He blows the Grade-B Richard Roundtree off the screen with his
formidable acting chops and screen charisma. Yet even Jackson takes a second
seat to Jeffrey Wright, who gives a Best Supporting Actor Oscar
nomination-worthy performance as Peoples (as in "I takes care of my peoples"),
the class-craving, carved facial hair, icepick poking drug lord who's
entertaining to be around until Shaft shoots his brother during a
standoff - then he gets real ugly (not to mention psychotic).
Bale does a twist on his "American Psycho" persona as Wade, throwing a
bit of New York Irish into the mix - he's good, but suffers from the way
his storyline is handled. Vanessa Williams is surprisingly effective as
an NYPD officer who stays loyal to Shaft - her looks don't get in the way
of her believability in the role. Toni Collette is mostly wasted as the
witness to Wade's crime whom everyone's after. Rapper Busta Rhymes is
fun as Rassan, a guy who's called to pay back favors by Shaft.
The distinctive "Shaft" theme is updated and effectively used to cue
Jackson's every move by Isaac Hayes.
This is the first surprise treat of the summer multiplex season. Who's
the man - Shaft!
B
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