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, Christian Bale

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

New York Police Detective John Shaft is the lead detective on a sensitive case, a young black man is severely beaten. The man's companions tell Shaft that their friend humiliated the one who was sprouting racial slurs at him. Shaft confronts him and he says he's Walter Wade Jr. , the son of a wealthy man. Shaft finds that he has the id of a woman who's a waitress at the bar where Wade and the guy who was attacked were. When Wade continues to hurl racist comments, Shaft smacks him. Shaft later learns because of his actions Wade was granted bail and fled. Two years later, Wade returns and Shaft arrests him. At his hearing when the judge grants him bail, that's when Shaft throws his badge at the judge. He then sets out to get Wade by finding the waitress. Wade in the meantime asks a drug dealer named Peoples Hernandez to find the waitress and make sure she doesn't talk.

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Plot Keywords:

blaxploitation | fourth part | lucifer morningstar character | christmas | released in 2000 on usa | 

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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 USA:

$21,714,757, 18 June 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$70,334,258, 22 October 2000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$107,196,498, 28 July 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, New Deal Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to an interview with Samuel L. Jackson, he and John Singleton often argued over the direction of the film. After one particular argument, Singleton refused to come out of his trailer.

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Goofs

Few nations would shield an accused murderer. Walter Wade Jr's flight from justice is improbable, especially since his crime was committed in New York City and the high profile nature of its occurrence.

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Quotes

Walter Wade, Jr.: Do you know who my father is?
John Shaft: No, do you?

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Connections

Featured in Attack of the Clones Review (2010)

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Soundtracks

Tough Guy
by André Benjamin (as Andre Benjamin), Big Boi (as Antwan Patton), David Sheats (as David A. Sheats),
Chad Butler (as Chad L. Butler) and Bun B (as Bernard J. Freeman)
Performed by Outkast (as OutKast) featuring U.G.K. (as UGK)
Courtesy of LaFace Records/Jive Records

User Reviews

Smooth as silk

I love this 1980s-style action flick, and watch it every time it is pops up on TV. Sam Jackson plays Shaft's nephew, a big-city cop trying to track down a reluctant witness to a racially motivated murder. The killer, played by a sinister, pre-BATMAN Christian Bale, is modeled on the New York preppie rapist (remember him?). He hires a low-level drug dealer (Jeffrey Wright) to track down the witness, a waitress (Toni Collette), and kill her. Shaft must find her before they do. Jackson is silky smooth, the action is right out of a DIE HARD or LETHAL WEAPON flick, and the landscape is populated by some great supporting players including Dan Hedaya as a corrupt cop and Vanessa Williams as a cop who has Shaft's back. The original Shaft, Richard Roundtree, even pops up a couple of times. This is one wild and funny ride that plays the way we prefer our action films to play. At times, it is a little thin on plot, but it keeps moving. No blood to speak of, just action, action and more action. And keep a close eye on Wright, a noted stage and screen actor. His soft-spoken drug lord tenderly holds a newborn baby at one moment and in the next pokes a knife into the neck of a terrified woman. He steals every scene he is in.