By the time this film was released the SHAFT phenomena was coming to a close. I didn't see it when it was released. This was a good move. Most people didn't want to deal with the slave trade practiced in modern day Africa. Currently the slave trade is still quite active and unfortunately those still profiting from it skirt the law quite well. But back to the film. It only approaches the true gravity needed to convey the nature of these crimes a couple of times in the film. Most of the time Shaft is being the wise ass jawbreaker we all know and love. That's OK...this isn't PBS. Frank Findlay is under-appreciated on these shores, sort of the way Charles Dance is currently. Vonetta McGee was as hot as any starlet back in the day. That includes Suzanne Somers and Jacquelyn Smith. Clint Eastwood ain't no fool when he cast her in Eiger Sanction. The attempt was to bring the Shaft character to the world audience but so much of script is lame. Roundtree is working hard to make it sound fresh but he's swimming upstream. The film has a great climax that should have been given more credit.
Review of Shaft in Africa
