I have not watched the original, or the other sequels(not for a lack of trying), but I honestly imagine that this just about matches them in pure awesomeness that has not been watered down in the least. While I will grant that the 70's stuff in this probably fit better and looked more inconspicuous back in the actual decade, this still completely works. You probably already know the basic concept; Shaft is a P.I. who especially works to ensure that his fellow African-Americans are not treated unfairly as far as justice being served goes. I can see Roundtree having nailed that role 40 years ago, and I'm not necessarily saying that Jackson is a better choice, however, he certainly is spot-on for the role. The plot is genuinely engaging, and it holds surprises without being difficult to follow. This is nicely filmed and edited. The film is immensely entertaining throughout; I wasn't bored for a single second, and the pace is marvelous. With shoot-outs, fights and chases, this has cool and exciting action. No, it doesn't go anywhere new for the genre... so? It's a well-produced and really *fun* entry, and that deserves recognition, as well. I love the music of this. The characters are well-written, credible and thoroughly developed. Acting performances range a tad, the leads are great. The dialog is clever, delivered well and natural. There is constant strong language, a lot of bloody violence, and very brief nudity and sexuality. I recommend this to anyone into the idea behind it. 7/10
Review of Shaft
