Shaft (2000)

The Long Review:

d:The obvious conclusion is…this movie didn't suck as bad as we initially thought.

m: I didn't wanna see it. I told you.

d: The trailers were pretty bad, weren't they?

m: They made him seem like some kind of superhero…like they were doing a spoof of Batman or something.

d: I remember from the trailers…He looks around and he has this weird-ass Samuel L. Jackson grin. I dunno….For some reason, he just didn't fit in the movie. But we were actually pleasantly surprised, weren't we? Not all that pleasantly surprised but it did exceed our initial expectations.

m: 'Cuz they were so damn low.

d: (Chuckle) Yeah.

m: Anyway, we should let our readers know a little about the story. Samuel L. Jackson plays John Shaft, a dedicated cop who gets really nasty when pissed off. And Shaft is one pissed off cop when a racist rich boy literally gets away with the murder of a Black youth. As the justice system fails to do its job, Shaft chooses to do his, his way. Donned in leather duds, loaded with bullets and cologne, Shaft takes to the streets and takes justice into his own hands. So what did you think?

d: Hmmm…Yeah, it was slow at some times. But overall, it had a good storyline. It could've been worse. It was simple but not that simple.

m: If you think about it, it could've been all summed up in one episode of LA Law or something.

d: You could say that to an extent.

m: It's just that it had all those effects…all those 10-minute action scenes.

d: I know what you mean. The cinematography enhanced it a little. They were going for that 70's feel, but at the same time, I dunno if it really worked for me, being a… (smiles) child of the 80's, babeeee!!

m: I thought it was a little too violent.

d: No, I didn't find that it was too violent.

m: I did! There was so much blood, it could've been a slasher flick. I don't think that it needed to be that violent.

d: Violence rocks. Hehehehe....

m: But he's a cop!

d: So what would you have wanted? You want, okay…Bad guy gets caught right away. Uh-oh. Cuff him. And story over? Borrrrrriiinnggg....

m: No, but there was just some violence that really wasn't necessary. Like did they really have to put that ice pick through that guy's hand? I mean, it was nice…(Laughter) Maybe not that nice…

d: It's all the little fine details of the movie.

m: Uh-huh. Details, details. And I think Samuel L. Jackson was kinda annoying sometimes. You could just tell that he was getting off playing his role.

d: How so?

m: Hmmm…It was almost like he wasn't Shaft anymore. He was just Samuel L. Jackson wearing a leather jacket and loving it.

d: Well, isn't that kinda good, though? The passion in his acting really shows through?

m: Well, Samuel L. Jackson's "passion," as you call it, made him come across as Samuel L. Jackson the actor, not Samuel L. Jackson as Shaft. What movie did we see him in? "Rules of Engagement"?

d: Yes?

m: That's how I'll always remember him.

d: How?

m: I guess wearing normal clothes??? And not being a sex symbol wannabe??

d: He just doesn't fit the role exactly, right?

m: Nope, he doesn't fit the role.

d: Kinda goofy in my opinion. Not sexy at all. But then, I don't think any man is sexy.

m: Who do you think would've been good as Shaft?? .

d: Oh, besides me and my fine body?? Just kidding….Aaah….WILL SMITH!!!

m: I was just gonna say, "Will Smith! Someone like Will Smith!!" I think Samuel L. Jackson gave Shaft a bit too much sinister. Or maybe that was his way of coming across as sexy…which didn't work.

d: (Hesitates) Well, no. I think that that was intentional. Overall, the characters were excellent.

m: Especially that Mexican dude.

d: Peoples, baby! Tiger Woooooooooooooooo!!!

m: He was funny. He would've been funnier had I been able to understand what he was saying!

d: Well, maybe it's a testament to his acting…picking up the accent that well and all… I thought he did a really good job. A friend was telling me…he actually does serious acting.

m: Yup, theatre.

d: I thought he played his part very, very well.

m: Same with Christian Bale. I thought he was good. He made me really hate his guts.

d: Yeah, the antagonist is who you're talking about there. He was definitely one bad boy mo-fo that you just want him to be slapped around.

m: I would've slapped him around. So who do you think was the best character in the movie?

d: Peoples. Tiger Woooooooooooooooooo!! I like eeem. He was quite entertaining. He totally added a new dimension to the movie. I think he even surpassed the other characters, especially the lead, Samuel L. Jackson, as Shaft.

m: I like the foil they had between him and Christian Bale. In a way, they're both kings of their worlds.

d: Exactly.

m: But they come from such different worlds. Although they're both filthy rich.

d: Right. But Peoples being more...ahem...filthy.

m: Filthy, like literally filthy. Dirty. But they want the same things.

d: Yeah, money, babeee!! So overall…?

m: Um...I give it a 3.

d: 3? Yes! I agree, it's a 3. I'd watch it in the theatres…but not necessarily at full price, maybe on cheap Tuesdays or a matinee, whenever there's a discount. That's pretty good, considering my initial reaction was 2, wait for video.

m: I initially wanted to wait till it showed on TV on a Sunday afternoon. So I guess that's a pretty good leap.

d: From 1 to 3, right?

m: I told you I didn't want to watch it.

d: But you did.

m: Uh-huh. And it wasn't too, too bad.