|
Review by Susan Granger
2½ stars out of 4
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.
Copyright © 2000 Susan Granger
|
out of 4
