Shaft (2019)

Were you the one clamoring for a sequel to the year 2000 Samuel L. Jackson SHAFT (the sequel to the original 1971 Richard Roundtree SHAFT)? Did you remember there WAS a 2000 version of SHAFT? Do you remember the 1971 SHAFT?

Doesn't matter.

The makers of this film certainly don't remember those films for - besides casting Jackson and Roundtree - there is no similarity to either of these films.

The first SHAFT was a Blacksploitation film starring Roundtree with mucho gunfire and bloodshed and SHAFT 2000 (as I'll call it) is a full on action flick with Jackson as Roundtree's nephew fighting crime. SHAFT 2019 is none of these - the Samuel L. Jackson Shaft is now the SON of Richard Roundtree and partners with his son JJ ,John Shaft, Jr. (played by Jessie T. Usher) to investigate the death of his friend.

Okay...fine. I can forgive the change in tone and the "tweak" (I'm being generous) to the timeline. What I can't forgive is the weak script (why write any good, or interesting, dialogue when we can have all of the characters say Samuel L. Jackson's signature motherf*^#er over and over) by 3 different writers (never a good sign) that were all, clearly, just in it for the paycheck.

Jessie T. Usher (he played Will Smith's son in the also ill-advised sequel to INDEPENDENCE DAY) is a bland lead with no gravitas and no swagger that starts out young and naive and is supposed to develop (under the tutelage of his father) street smarts but, really, just becomes annoying.

Regina Hall (GIRLS TRIP), Titus Welliver (BOSCH), Method Man (!) and Luna Lauren Velez (DEXTER) are all sleepwalking through underwritten roles just counting the minutes until they can take their paychecks to the bank.

At the heart of all of this "missed opportunities" is Director Tim Story (RIDE ALONG) he directs this film like he has someplace else to be, never missing an opportunity to be obvious (for example, JJ's friend - Karim - who's death sparks what passes for a plot in this film - might as well be walking around with a "Dead Man Walking" sign on him). Story's direction is lazy (and that's doing injustice to the word lazy) and obvious with no spark of ingenuity or imagination to be found.

And then there's Samuel L. Jackson as SHAFT. He defines the term "sleepwalking through the picture" looking bored and uninterested throughout and HE'S THE BEST THING IN THE FILM! Thank goodness his charisma and charm ooze out of him without really trying - for he didn't really try here.

Save 2 hours of your life - skip SHAFT - you'll be glad you did.

Letter Grade: C

4 Stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)

Fmovies: A delicious funny treat. That's how you portray this one.

Not every time you got to be serious in those action movies, with those drug dealers, New York street fights, and of course the FBI. A light hearted, feel good action comedy can't be better than this.

And man, Mr Samuel Jackson! What a comic timing he has got!

Got for it, and come out with a wide smile on your face.

"Shaft" is an entertaining and funny movie based on the character from the 70´s. The storyline of Shaft´s estranged son that looks for his help to find the truth about the death of his best friend and ends with his grandfather, the original Shaft, helping them to resolve the situation, is forgettable but worthwhile watching. Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher and Richard Roundtree together in a possible sequel is promising. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Shaft"

Shaft fmovies. I enjoyed it. As the movie went on, it all came together. Funny lines as well as being serious when the movie needed to be. Not understanding how people didn't like it. It was a SHAFT movie. I got it, and I was very young when Richard Roundtree originally played SHAFT. Did see a few bloopers in two fighting scenes though, but oh well.

I enjoyed every moment of this movie, I laughed so hard, and i was so excited to see the end.

Samuel L. Jackson makes this movie a lot better than it would normally be. The script is simply boring and it is only kept alive by his performance. If you look at the camera work, sometimes it's great, sometimes the cuts feel weird inbetween dialogues. Also Jessie Usher and Regina Hall are not really great in my opinion. But this might not be bad acting the more you watch, you will realize that it's poorly written characters. Well at least there are some cool shooting scenes and tough lines that make you enjoy the movie a bit.