Shaft
(L-R) JESSIE T. USHER as John "JJ" Shaft, SAMUEL L. JACKSON as John Shaft and RICHARD ROUNDTREE as John Shaft, Sr. in New Line Cinema's action comedy SHAFT, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Kyle Kaplan
Apparently its protagonist has failed at sticking it to The Man, because Shaft appears to have been crafted by a corporate conglomerate looking to resurrect the action franchise once again.
This latest go-around — and third with the exact same title — is a clunky attempt to pass the series down to another generation while grasping at nostalgic straws.
It’s been 19 years since the most recent installment starring Samuel L. Jackson as the son of Richard Roundtree’s Harlem enforcer from the original 1971 blaxploitation classic. Jackson returns here, still indulging in his old-school brand of vigilante justice, nonchalant misogyny, and casual womanizing with neighborhood hoochies.
He’s long since separated from Maya (Regina Hall), and hasn’t seen their son J.J. (Jessie T. Usher) since he was a small child. J.J. is now a well-educated FBI data analyst who despises guns and the n-word—distinctly unlike his dad.
Anyway, when J.J.’s best friend (Avan Jogia) dies under mysterious circumstances, he reaches out to his pops for assistance in navigating a maze of drug dealers and career criminals. “If you’re gonna pursue this investigation, I’m gonna have to babysit your ass,” says an exasperated Shaft in describing their makeshift reconciliation.
There are some cool throwback touches, such as the iconic theme song, vintage cars, timeless swagger, and an energetic appearance by Richard Roundtree as now Grandpa Shaft. But it otherwise lacks the grit and tenacity that made the over-the-top first film so memorable.
As directed by Tim Story (Ride Along), this effort boils down to a father-son buddy comedy in which the constant bickering produces some scattered big laughs. The streetwise Jackson gets most of the best lines (and delivers them with plenty of gusto, as you’d imagine), with Usher as his preppy straight man. “It’s your duty to please that booty,” is his brand of fatherly advice.
However, their odd-couple chemistry outshines a lackluster screenplay that’s content to rehash genre clichés. Take away those snappy one-liners, and this sequel (or reboot, if you prefer) is neither suspenseful nor exciting.
The latest Shaft also fails to address its awkward fit in today’s politically correct social landscape, which could have been exploited for comic effect or shrewd social commentary by a smarter film. Instead, it’s just a bad mother.
Rated R, 111 minutes.