Shaft
Universal, 2000
Directed by John Singleton

$$$$

There's only one way to say it: The new Shaft movie is right on.

They may call it an "update," but there's not much updated about it -- and that's a smooth move. This Shaft is just as cool, just as bad and just as fun as the original. Director John Singleton, who grew up on the old Shaft movies does an excellent job of maintaining the cheesily entertaining spirit of the '70s blaxploitation genre. The times may have changed, but this John Shaft is still a shoot first-don't-bother-to-ask-questions-later kind of guy -- in other words, he's one bad muthaf***er.

And who better to play him than the man who carried a wallet that said "Bad Muthaf***er" in Pulp Fiction. Samuel L. Jackson gets to show just how bad he is in the role that ironically now seems tailored him. Jackson's John Shaft is actually the namesake nephew of the original Shaft, played by Richard Roundtree, who has a cameo in this movie as "Uncle John". Unlike the "private dick" of the original, Jackson's Shaft is an NYPD detective. But don't worry -- the sellout doesn't last long. Producers gave-in to Jackson's demand that Shaft quit the force early in the film. The device actually works out nicely: We get to see Shaft come to the realization that he can't really do good by working from within the system -- a realization that leads him to become an urban crimefighter who stands up for the people who need his help most. In this Shaft, the system is just as racist as it was in the original. Shaft's enemies aren't just the criminals -- he also has to fight the police (or, in this modern version, the more corrupt elements of the police).

The story follows Shaft as he tries to take down a yuppie racist (British actor Christian Bale, playing his second American Psycho of the year) who murdered a young black man. The case leads Shaft to a tangle with Dominican Drug Lord Peoples Sanchez, played with menacing hilarity by Jeffrey Wright, who nearly takes over the movie -- he's the Summer's best villain, so far. The plot unfolds smoothly and clearly, thanks to a solid script co-written by urban crime-writting master, Richard Price. The editing also paces out the shoot 'em up scenes nicely.

The funky, omnipresent score also helps the movie groove along. That music is written by David Arnold, who's worked on the last couple James Bond movies and the man knows how to do justice to a hero and his instantly recognizable theme music. Speaking of the theme (which may be the best known aspect of the character), we're spared any sort of hip-hop remix or other update. Instead, Isaac Hayes's original masterpiece stays intact, note-for-note. Just the way it ought to be. In fact, Singleton keeps a lot about the original -- and that's why it's so satisfying. We can dig it.

(c) Copyright 2000