Shaft (2000)

“It’s my duty to please that booty.”  One must love the brilliant writing of 2000’s Shaft sequel…or not.  I think I am in good company in saying that it is more than ok to think this movie is much more ridiculous than the first one; in fact, it enters an entirely different level.  I’m not sure what exactly it does in terms of blaxploitation, whereas 1971’s version made its intent very clear.  That being said, this film had potential.  Christopher Null, founder of filmcritic.com states that “the update could have been a lot of fun -- a modern-day John Shaft as tragic hero in a corrupt and oppressive NYPD,” and he’s right.  Generally sequels of action films are not complete failures, but as Null says, “If it wasn't called Shaft, no one would see this film.”

So why, aside from the pitiful lines, is this film so stupid?  The answer lies in many aspects.  First of all, some elements of fantasy can ease their way into films such as these.  For example, the audience will probably let a few unrealistic shots or fighting sequences slide if done properly, but this film crosses all lines.  It’s so unrealistic it cannot be taken seriously, which is probably the angle the director should have went with, but instead the movie attempts to be sincere, which only makes the audience laugh more.  Are we really expected to believe a man can jump through not one but two windows, not to mention the fact that they are in two separate buildings, and walk away without a single cut?  Are we supposed to believe that two cops will turn on their team and help a Mexican gang leader kill a witness for a mere $10,000?  Or that the gang leader will do it for $40,000, not in cash but jewelry to be cashed in?  The 1971 version had Bumpy paying the men $10,000 each, double for Shaft, to bring his daughter back to him.  This was 30 years ago. 

It’s not only the context of the film, but it’s the characters as well.  One of the things that made the original Shaft so cool was that he was a private eye; he was in between the law.  When this movie begins, Shaft is a detective, and one about to lose his job at that, yet manages to keep it for two more years.  He then quits, just before completing the biggest case of his life.  Sure, he now is protected by the police without the limitations, but I wonder why he chooses to search for Diane on his own without the aide provided by a police department, and for that matter, why did he wait two years to thoroughly search for the only eyewitness; the key to solving the case?  Shaft may know how to mess with people, but I certainly don’t think he’s the smartest guy, nor the guy “everyone wants to be.”

One cannot talk about this film without mentioning the music in it.  Of course, the 1971 version’s score was amazing, and rightly winning awards.  This version incorporates the original score, but it just doesn’t fit as well as it did the first time around.  The opening fit, however when paired with sexual imagery, it did not have as strong of an opening sequence as the original.  The music also contributed to discontinuity.  One scene in particular stands out; when Peoples and his men were running to his cars fast paced Latino music way playing, but then abruptly transitioning to the scene in the apartment with Diane, and slow, cheesy music was now playing.  It seemed like it was trying to be humorous, yet in was in the middle of a suspenseful sequence; the very climax of the movie.

While the original made prominent statements about race and culture, this film had less of a message.  Shaft is the obvious hero in both films, even though he is unorthodox, but we’re still rooting for him to win.  It’s the case of the “bad” guys that seems to be a bit blurred in the original, but for good cause.  It brings the focus on Shaft, and the fact that he’s fighting for what he thinks is right.  It’s for his own morals and values, and has nothing to do with being employed by the police department.  In the remake, we could not have a much more clear cut bad guy.  From the beginning, we know exactly who we are fighting against, and although Shaft probably would do something about this no matter what, he has to take a stance because of his job as a detective.  Making Peoples a prominent villain seems to knock the Hispanic community almost in an effort to raise the black community above them.  They also throw around f-bombs like none other and have the occasional n-word slip throughout the film.  If the NAACP had concerns about the blaxploitation used in the original, I can only imagine their views on this film.