SHAFT
Rated R - Running Time: 1:38 - Released 6/16/00
Let's see . . . who's the black private dick who's a sex machine
to all the chicks / a man who would risk his neck for his brother
man / a cat who won't cop out when there's danger all about /
a complicated man understood by no one but his woman . . . Nope
— there's nothing in Isaac Hayes's song about a believable
plot, so I guess Shaft does its job. Samuel L. Jackson
is as charismatic as anyone would want, John Singleton's directing
is action-packed and full of New York atmosphere, and the music
is eminently street-cool. And the people, even those other than
the famous title character, are interesting and varied, featuring
excellent performances by co-villains Christian Bale and Jeffrey
Wright.
But Shaft suffers from some fundamental lapses in the
story department, and while this is not a fatal flaw, it certainly
brings the old credibility rating down a few points. Perhaps the
problem stems from having too many cooks in the kitchen during
the writing process. The screenplay is by Richard Price (Ransom),
adapted from a story by himself, director Singleton (Boyz N
the Hood), and Shane Salerno (Armageddon),
based upon the 1971 novel by Ernest Tidyman, who won an Oscar
for The French Connection that same year. But I doubt that
Tidyman's novel included the part about John Shaft quitting the
force and then being allowed to pursue his case without having
to obey the law. It seems unlikely.
After the racially motivated murder of a black man, killer
Walter Wade (Bale) skips the country before he can be prosecuted.
He is apparently able to do this because his father is a wealthy,
influential politician. But the ever-vigilant Shaft catches him
the minute he tries to re-enter the country (two years later)
and throws him in jail. While there, Wade meets Peoples Hernandez
(Wright), a local drug lord whom Shaft has previously imprisoned
for carrying an ice pick with no ice. I think it's called "possession
of ice paraphernalia." Although Wade has already clearly
shown his antipathy for certain racial groups, he and the Hispanic
Hernandez become buds, and he asks Peoples to expand his business
to contract killing. You see, there was a sole eyewitness to the
murder, a waitress named Diane (Toni Collette), whom Shaft has
been dogging for two years, and although she is reticent to testify,
Wade knows she'll be even better at being quiet if she's dead.
Soon Wade is on the street again, so Shaft turns in his badge
in order to more effectively break the law. Soon he is engaging
in one gunfight after another, aided by his friend Rasaan (Busta
Rhymes), and his ex-partner Carmen (Vanessa L. Williams), who
is still a cop but is willing to risk her career to join in the
lawbreaking. While attempting to rescue Diane from her overprotective
family and draw her into the center of the gunfight, they are
exchanging fire with Peoples, his goons, and some cops who turned
goon when they found the money was better. So you've got the standard
cops/goons conflict. The question is, now that Shaft turned in
his badge, is he a cop or a goon? Whatever he is, he's also an
excellent marksman, because he repeatedly kills the bad guys with
one shot fired around corners, without ever even being nicked
by the constant hail of lead raining down on him from all directions.
Plot problems aside, Shaft allows Jackson, Wright, and Bale the chance to show off their talent, not to mention Collette, who was nominated for an Oscar last year for best supporting actress in The Sixth Sense. And it also features a cameo by none other than Richard Roundtree, the original Shaft. Damn right. ***½