Shaft (2000)

New York City police detective John Shaft (nephew of the original 1970s detective) goes on a personal mission to make sure the son of a real estate tycoon is brought to justice after a racially-motivated murder.

Director:

John Singleton

Writers:

Ernest Tidyman (novel), John Singleton (story),

Stars:

Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright

1 win & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Samuel L. Jackson	...	John Shaft
Vanessa Williams	...	Carmen Vasquez
Jeffrey Wright	...	Peoples Hernandez
Christian Bale	...	Walter Wade, Jr.
Busta Rhymes	...	Rasaan
Dan Hedaya	...	Jack Roselli
Toni Collette	...	Diane Palmieri
Richard Roundtree	...	Uncle John Shaft
Ruben Santiago-Hudson	...	Jimmy Groves
Josef Sommer	...	Curt Fleming
Lynne Thigpen	...	Carla Howard
Philip Bosco	...	Walter Wade, Sr.
Pat Hingle	...	Hon. Dennis Bradford
Lee Tergesen	...	Luger
Daniel von Bargen	...	Lt. Kearney (as Daniel Von Bargen)

Storyline

Cool and deadly NYPD detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade, Jr. in a racially-motivated slaying. The eye witness disappears, Wade jumps bail for Switzerland, and Shaft is livid. Two years later, Wade returns to face trial, confident his father's money and influence (and racial politics) guarantee an innocent verdict. Shaft looks hard for the witness, so Wade wants someone to kill her. He turns to a ghetto drug king, Peoples Hernandez, who's willing to kill for money, use Wade as a route to rich drug customers, and shaft Shaft. Can Shaft find the witness, convince her to testify, and shepherd her through the hail of bullets that Peoples is sure to let fly?

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Plot Keywords:

detective | drugs | new york city | police detective | switzerland | 

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Taglines:

Still the man, any questions?

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Filmax (Spanish) Paramount

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English German Spanish

Release Date:

16 June 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shaft Returns

Filming Locations:

Broadway & 20th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$46,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£872,545 (UK) (15 September 2000)

Gross:

ESP 228,558,146 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) Shaft Productions, New Deal Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Samuel L. Jackson says the line, "This is some repugnant shit," which he first said in Pulp Fiction and again in Jackie Brown

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Goofs

The Trinidad and Tobago Flag hanging in Rasaan's apartment is upside-down (presumably because he didn't know any better).

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Quotes

Peoples Hernandez: This is Egyptian Cotton, motherfucker... two-twenty thread. That's like half your shitty-ass paycheck, okay?
John Shaft: You wouldn't know Egyptian cotton if the Pharaoh himself sent it to you, you knockoff-wearing motherfucker!

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Connections

Featured in Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Hot Gal Today (Krotches Remix)"
by Cleveland Browne, Wycliff Johnson, Mr. Vegas (as Clifford Smith) and Sean Paul (as Sean Henriques)
Performed by Sean Paul & Mr. Vegas
Courtesy of VP Music Group, Inc.

User Reviews

Ahhh....pretty good!

I liked this one alot-fast moving, funny, crude, violent at times, has the same old 'sphagetti Western' shooting style where the baddie can't hit the broadside of a barn with 400 rounds while Shaft takes'em out one shot at a time, never misses. Enjoyed Jackson in this mucho, this is some fine work by a kinetic actor in his prime. Vanessa Williams is easy on the eyes and a smooth actress in her own right, plus you have to give this Jeffrey Wright guy credit for doing a bang up job as a Puerto Rican(!!) villain(with a heart, sorta...). Bale as the Menendez Brother from hell is effective too. I liked Richard Roundtree, Pat Hingle and Gordon Parks' cameos(look fast for him, as Mr. P in the bar!)

This one isn't meant to be taken too seriously, the car chases and shootouts are right outta anything Dirty Harry has done-but you know, John Singleton sez he intended for this to be a popcorn movie, and I agree, he has hit the bullseye with this.

And that Isaac Hayes score, gotta love it!

*** outta ****, go see it and have fun.