There are so many Shaft films. The character has a way of being reinvented for every generation. I've never read any of the books, so I won't discuss them. Richard Roundtree's Shaft was a master detective who liked to get down. But, Samuel L. Jackson's Shaft was essentially an action hero. 2019 brought us Jesse T. Usher's Shaft, who is, well he doesn't know who he is yet. He's a millennial and we don't have everything all figured out yet.
The film starts with JJ (the youngest Shaft), reunited with his friend Karim who picked up a heroin addiction after his time in the army. Karim jokes that JJ still hasn't asked Sasha out. He also says he has some information for JJ that could be big. JJ reminds him that he's only an FBI tech, and not a full agent. Almost immediately after the night out Karim is found dead of an overdose. Sasha believes he relapsed, JJ doesn't think so. JJ dives into the mystery head first. Things don't go great for JJ. He tracks the heroin to a dealer named Manuel. JJ walks into a trap house with no gun and is beaten senseless. At the hospital Sasha reveals that there was way too much heroin in Karim's system to be a self administered overdose.
JJ is forced to turn to the one person he knows he can turn to for help, Shaft. The other Shaft, Sam Shaft. Sam Shaft doesn't care for the case, and he's upset that JJ finally came to see him only when he's in need. Eventually he gets a good look at JJ's face and realizes someone beat him. Sam Shaft gets a shotgun and throws JJ in the car. They drive to Manuel's place and Sam Shaft gets revenge for JJ. There's a funny moment when Sam Shaft calls JJ weird for being in the FBI but not carrying a gun. Then he yells at JJ for throwing a gun out of the window because "kids play around here," and "what if it went off when you dropped it?" Gun safety is important. After interrogating Manuel they learn about Brothers watching Brothers, a program lead by army veterans who supposedly help take care of other veterens.
Once they arrive, it's clear that these are our villains. There's a moment where Sam Shaft attempts to play wingman for JJ and hook him up with one of the veterans. Sam Shaft is very serious asking JJ why not and stating if he was into men, that'd be the type of man he liked. This is when Sam Shaft learns JJ isn't gay. While watching JJ grow up from a distance, he just always assumed JJ was gay because the porno magazines he sent always got sent back. That's all of the plot you're getting for free. You have to watch the film and see how Richard Roundtree gets involved.
The new film is a lot more vibrant than any of the previous entries in the Shaft series. That's not a problem. I do have a problem with the soundtrack. Isaac Hayed laid the Shaft theme that everyone recognizes. However, it was replaced for this film. I've got no idea why, but I can tell you I've never hated The Migos so much before. That theme is horrible, and is honestly my biggest complaint about the film. Jesse T. Usher gets a lot of hate in most of the reviews I've read for being a weak actor. I won't lie to you, that's probably true. However, they put him right next to Sam Jackson and Regina Hall for most of the film. They'll make anyone look like weak actors. Even Alexandra Shipp has had a lot more experience than him. He isn't terrible or anything, there are just moments when Sam or Regina outshine him.
The Three Shafts have interesting takes on the world. OG Shaft is trying to embrace the new world and has softened a bit. He still loves violence and is itching to cut someone like back in the day. But he's also accepting that JJ isn't going to be just like him or Sam Shaft because they didn't have to grow up in their worlds. He admits he made some mistakes as a father, such as letting his son believe he was his uncle. He's at an age where he can accept that he isn't right about everything, but he still has valuable knowledge that he can pass down.
Sam Shaft isn't even trying to accept the world changing. He'd rather die than accept the new world. Bitches, hoes, skanks and skallywags are always going to be part of his vocabulary. He's quick to call JJ a pussy, but there are still things he does better than the others. He isn't as trusting as JJ but also isn't as blood thirsty as OG Shaft. So he might break all your things to get an answer, but at least it won't be your arm. On the flip side he's nowhere near as promiscuous as OG Shaft and despite calling women bitches and hoes he's generally well liked by all types of women because in a way he's actually charming, unlike JJ, who radiates nervous energy. Sam Shaft is also a pretty good father. Even when he wasn't allowed to see JJ he would always leave gifts, things he would have wanted at that age because he wasn't sure what JJ liked. He had pictures of all of the big moments in JJs life and the happiest moment of the film for him was finally getting to be in JJs home and tuck him in. It took JJ a while to realize he wasn't out of his life because he hated him. There's a moment when he realizes that his mother maybe exaggerated a little about how bad of a man Sam Shaft was. When this happens they're able to meet in the middle on a lot of things. For example, everyone shouldn't have guns, and we definitely need gun control, but sometimes it makes sense to have them around.
I saw one reviewer complain that the timelines didn't match up for the film to make sense. Jeffery Wright played a Latin drug lord in Shaft (2000) why would you expect anything to make sense? One person wrote the title shouldn't be Shaft because there are already two films with that name. Maybe I saw different trailers for the film. I knew it was going to be comedy heavy from the jump. No offense to any older readers, but Sam Jackson is not Wesley Snipes. He hasn't practiced martial arts his entire life. How many fight scenes did you expect? Sure, they solved a case, but most of this film was comedy and characters learning to deal with a world that none of them were prepared for. One reviewer stated the film had an identity crisis. I couldn't agree more, that was the point of the film. Just about every character faces an identity crisis. JJ doesn't know who he is. The world is changing around Sam Shaft. Maya is wondering if she ever hated Sam Shaft or just the danger around him. Sasha is worried JJ is going down a dark path, but also likes the things he's learning from his dad.
JJ isn't well liked in most of the reviews. The reason being is he isn't like the previous Shafts and in anyway. I don't think that's true. JJ is a virgin, but he's hooked on one woman. Sam Shaft, very sexually liberated, still in love with a single woman. JJ is exactly what a 27 year old Shaft would be in today's world. Yes, he's got a good job and a nice place, but he's not sure of himself or his spot in the world. The film does a lot of reconciling with that throughout the course. JJ realizes that the world isn't black and white. A strong sense of social justice is good to have, but it is entirely possible to go too far in either direction. Maybe Sam Shaft was right and he should just tell Sasha how he feels about her instead of thinking asking her on a date would be sexual harassment.
I've always been a sucker for father and son stories, even more so since my father passed away. But, he was a sucker for them too. I remember we'd watch Major Payne like it was a new movie to us every time. That may be the reason I enjoyed this film. The acting from the main cast was great, but the film also didn't take itself too seriously. I think this may have been what put off a lot of long time Shaft fans. There were a lot more direct jokes in this film than any of the previous films with Roundtree or Jackson. The thing is, JJ is a Shaft from my generation. We're more likely to laugh at life because like JJ we believe we're screwed anyway. Global warming, World War 3, something is going to get us eventually. Do I think this movie is going to blow your mind? No, but I also don't think it's the worst film elver.
You can check out some of my fiction at 12 AM Fiction or follow my web serial Exsanguinate and of course hear me on the Powerbomb Jutsu podcast.
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