Shaft

Rating:
Summary: not like the old films.
Review: Shaft... remake or rebirth or whatever of the 70's blackploitation films.... I've seen Foxy Brown but this is nothing like those movies... no sex, no graphic violence... anyhow Shaft is suppose to be a womanizing brotherman that takes everything on his own... but in this version, Shaft is a cop, he has a girlfriend and therefore he doesn't sleep with anyone else, and did I mention he's a cop? well the movies about this rich white guy that does a hate crime, and Shaft goes after him kinda... and he skips town and eventually comes back. Shaft wants this guy to go down hard. so the white dude hires this drug lord to take out Shaft.... not as much action as you might think... actually this movie doesn't have enough action, it's like bam bam your dead.... not like Mi2 or some other aciton movies... it's just very straight forward. the characters in Shaft saved this movie... Christian Bale as the white racist was amazing. the other dude htat played the drug dealer was soooo interesting. and Samuel L Jackson was great. oh yeah Vanessa Williams and the girl in the 6th Sense was in it... nothing too spectacular there though... kinda mis-casted... wasted their talents.

Rating:
Summary: Singleton ruins yet another legend. somebody stop him.......
Review: Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft could have been a great movie. He has the talent and skill to effectively play the role. Unfortunately, he is prevented from doing a giving a good performance because of the weak direction and script by Hack Extrodinare John Singleton. Someone please stop Mr. Singleton Before he directs again.
Singleton's terrible script and direction turns Shaft into a campy over-the top superhero movie instead of an intruigung murder mystery. Most of the characters come off like cartoonish stereotypes instead of real people the way they did in the 1971 original. Shaft fans know he is smart, smooth and clever; he's subtle about the way he does things. He's not a black batman wannabe as depicted in this film. Perhaps Mr. Singleton dreams of doing a Batman movie and thought he could apply those concepts here. He was sadly mistaken.
In the openeing scene he comes off as menacing and threatening, that he scares the witness even more and puts the white racist (Christian Bale) on the offensive by arresting him. A litle subtlety would have helped the story here and made the character more interesting. In the subplot our menacing shaft threatens a neighborhood drug dealer (Geoffrey Rush) and arrests him on some trumped up charges. While in jail the two consipire to find a witness who can finger Bale's character for the murder he committed. Sounds a lot like Batman Returns doesn't it? Just so he can have something to do, Shaft goes on a macho search to find the witness who can help his case. Personally, I think Singleton wanted to have a ton of frames of Sam Jackson looking cool in Armani leather. This goes on until the last act the movie which turns into a great big comic book action sequence chock full of shootings and mayhem. To conclude the story, the scene where Bale's character is coming to court to finally stand trial for his crimes is ripped straight from Mario Van Peebles ending scene of New Jack City.
Singleton wastes yet another opportunity and fails to utilize his cast of talented actors who do their best with his terrible script. Sadly, Gordon Parks, the man who wrote and directed the original Shaft was on set and Singleton did take the opportunity not pick his brain for ideas or even ask him what he was thinking when he set up certain scenes. This film would have been better if Singleton would have done thatn andjust STUDIED the films of this genere and understood the subtle nuances that make them work before starting this project. Then when he understood what made those films work he could then apply those approaches to his work. John Singleton needs to go back to film school. He still has a lot to learn about the craft of moviemaking.

Rating:
Summary: VERY GOOD REMAKE OF THE 1971 CLASSIC
Review: SHAFT'S SAME-NAMED NEPHEW [SAMUEL L. JACKSON] GOES AFTER A DOMINICAN DRUG LORD AND A RACIST SERIAL KILLER. VERY GOOD REMAKE. IT HAS PLENTY OF GOOD ACTION, AN INTERESTING STORY, AND IT HAS GOOD CHARACTERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. RICHARD ROUNDTREE [WHO PLAYED THE ORIGINAL SHAFT] AND GORDON PARKS, JR. BOTH MAKE APPEARANCES IN THIS MOVIE.

Rating:
Summary: Big Time Letdown
Review: Shaft may have been the man in the 70's, but today he seems a little formulaic. This film is not meant to be a sequel or a remake, it is meant to be an homage to the classic film. The real problem is that these films never live up to their originals.

Samuel L Jackson potrays the private dick that gets all the chicks, but there is something about him that is not so great. He just seemed like he did not want to be there. Was that due to the fact that we have seen this film before. The action and the plot have been in countless movies, so one movie that combines all of it is only tiring. Jeffery Wright got a lot of praise for his role as Peoples, the only problem with that was that he was terrible. He only muttered incoherently and did a very over stereotypical job of trying to potray another character that has been seen a hundred times before. Christian Bale was a much better villian that went completely over looked. He was not an original character in any way, but his acting was far superior to that of Peoples.

This film is an overall disaster. It is slow, and contains one too many things blowing up and far too many people getting shot. After 50 people or so, the effect is kind of lost. I suggest renting the original if someone is really in the mood for Shaft. And only renting this one if you want to see how you can ruin a classic very easily.

Rating:
Summary: Tough, slick update/sequel to the originals
Review: I actually cringed when I saw the trailer to this movie. It didn't show much except shot after shot of Samuel L. Jackson removing his designer sunglasses and staring at the camera. I thought it had the potential to be awful.

I was very wrong. The movie is not without plot holes and implausibility, but it still works thanks to great acting and solid direction. John Singleton takes on a genre film with this almost-sequel to the famous blaxploitation series of the 1970s. Jackson plays John Shaft--nephew of the original Shaft who appears here as the wise old uncle. It's Richard Roundtree himself doing the honors, getting screen time in a theatrical release for the first time in decades.

The story concerns a cold murder of a young black man by rich and twisted Walter Wade, son of wealthy New York society. Christian Bale comes right off the set of American Pyscho and plays the demented Wade with a more outwardly tough guy persona. Think Bateman and the Preppie Murderer, and you get the idea. (Even the faux-Brooklyn accent is funny.)

There's not a whole lot of mystery around here. Shaft basically swears to get this guy, and we know he will, no matter no long or how many people he has to shoot. Things get complicated when Wade hires a Dominican drug lord to whack out the sole witness to the murder. The drug lord is then linked to dirty cops who get contracted to kill Shaft and the girl.

In the end, a lot of people die. Shaft has the best marksmanship of any cop in the country as he guns down countless low-rent drug dealers and various minions. And clad in Armani, the coat alone costing half a cop's yearly salary, Jackson is the ultimate in cool.

Why does it work? For one, the writing is slick, even if it's (trouble sign) done by a literal team of writers. However, it all comes together once we realize who was hired for what. Richard Price, author of Clockers and Freedomland, clearly lends some street credibility to the dialogue, although apparent on-set tensions meants Jackson was unwilling to read everyone's lines.

Also, the main difference between the old and new Shaft is the decided absence of sex. Jackson is a man of action. Matter of fact, the lone sexual encounter (implied and not seen) is forced, as if the audience needs a reminder that Shaft can, ahem, deliver. Also, the strangely blue-lit title sequence features quick flashes of nudity and implied sex, though we never see who with. Again, inserted by the filmmakers after production. (They couldn't get Jackson back for reshoots.)

But it doesn't matter. Shaft has the best lines, the steely stare, and a fast Glock. The other highlight is Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez, the drug lord who longs to be able to travel out of his neighborhood and still get respect.

This has a very New York feel to it, and there are tons of Manhattan locations. David Arnold, who updated the James Bond scores so well in the Brosnan films, does a very nice job of supplying detective music. (Issac Hayes' original Shaft is redone by Hayes himself, though hardly different.) Too bad the score is not widely available on CD. You have to hunt for the limited edition disc that contains the entire score plus tracks not used in the final film.

The DVD is competent, including interviews, featurette, and music videos.

Highly recommended for those who like foul-mouthed tough cop movies where bad guys pay in the end.

Rating:
Summary: This film should have gotten the "shaft"
Review: "Shaft" (2000)

Shaft's (Richard Roundtree) nephew, also last-named Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), is the star in this movie. But it is nothing like the original starring Roundtree and directed by Gordon Parks (although both of them make cameos in this film). The first "Shaft" was a blaxploitation flick and is a classic. This movie, directed by John Singleton, seems less black, more made-for-Hollywood. The plot is thin and unlike the original, the only love scene to be found is in pieces during the opening credits. And what was Busta Rhymes' purpose? It added nothing to the movie. Sorry, Sam Jackson is a hell of an actor but his Shaft doesn't make me forget about Roundtree's. -EJR

Rating:
Summary: Forget plot and just enjoy the ride!
Review: I have to say this movie isn't that big on plot. Its ok but thats not the high point of the film. Its pretty fun to watch Samuel L. Jackson go around in his suave stylish ways and fight crime in New York City. Jackson plays John Shaft, the nephew of the original John Shaft played but the man himself Richard Roundtree. Shaft is trying to get a man who two years ago killed another man over a racial issue into jail for good. All in all the plot is average but its just fun to sit and watch the fun. You don't have to see or even like the original Shaft movies which I haven't seen to see this. Jackson is great as Shaft. Isaac Hayes' theme is great, this time its redone. The dvd is half decent, it has the Shaft theme music video, a half decent featurette and some other features like cast interviews, a trailer, and other music videos. Rated R for violence, profanity, some nudity, and sexual innuendo.

Rating:
Summary: This film should have gotten the "shaft"
Review: "Shaft" (2000)

Shaft's (Richard Roundtree) nephew, also last-named Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), is the star in this movie. But it is nothing like the original starring Roundtree and directed by Gordon Parks (although both of them make cameos in this film). The first "Shaft" was a blaxploitation flick and is a classic. This movie, directed by John Singleton, seems less black, more made-for-Hollywood. The plot is thin and unlike the original, the only love scene to be found is in pieces during the opening credits. And what was Busta Rhymes' purpose? It added nothing to the movie. Sorry, Sam Jackson is a hell of an actor but his Shaft doesn't make me forget about Roundtree's. -EJR

Rating:
Summary: wonderful remake
Review: a great remake with Jackson being the man Shaft. good action with some unexpected turnabouts. Christian Bale is menacing as the racist who kills Mehki Phifer then has to answer to Shaft and Jeffrey Wright is a spectacular badguy as well. a good ride

Rating:
Summary: Jackson was born to play shaft
Review: Samuel L Jackson is fabulous in this as John Shaft a tough, cynical NYPD detective who resigns in anger and takes justice into his own hands.
Some have criticised the plot for being obvious but I find that there are some unexpected twists that keep the story interesting. The dialogue is solid and the screenplay is very well written. The hard-ass banter between cops and bad guys is deliverd almost universally in a very natural style and really captures the feel of NYC.
Jeffrey Wright is just amazing as Peoples Hernandez and next to Jackson delivers some of the best lines in the movie. His performance alone makes this film worth checking out. Christian Bales is the other bad-guy. He plays the son of a Donald Tump-like real estate developer who commits a racist murder and then uses his money and influence to avoid being brought to justice.
Bales is very good in this role and his scenes with Jeffrey Wright are some of the best in the film.
Buster Rhymes plays Shaft's friend and driver and is also very good.
The action sequences are well done but what makes this film is the dialogue and the trading of insults, etc. between a variety of characters that are New York stereotypes. And while they may be stereotypes they still deliver some really memorable lines.
I've watched this numerous times and know much of it by heart but that doesn't prevent me from continuing to enjoy it.