After a known racist killer is released from prison, Detective John Shaft quits his job and decides to deal with this guy in his own way, on his own terms. In the 1970's, Richard Roundtree stepped into the shoes of Shaft and became the first major black hero. Now, in the next century, it is only fitting that one of today's most prominent black figures, Samuel L. Jackson, takes over in an update of Shaft . The millionaire, Walter Williams, also skips town. Of course, they get to her at the same time to have some action.
Shaft is a marvelous mix of action, suspense, comedy, drama, and adventure all rolled into one.
This is probably a good time to note that I have never seen any of the original Shafts , although I will definitely check some out now. Jackson seems very fluid as the original John Shaft's nephew, and Richard Roundtree even appears in several scenes to help him along. Vanessa Williams, Toni Collette, and Christian Bale all do equally superb jobs, and it is pretty amusing trying to figure out what Jeffrey Wright is saying. The story is equally impressive, although there are a few slow scenes. When Bale and Wright are conversing, it is hard to determine what has been accomplished.