naturally leans on the lighter side. It goes as much for laughs it seems as it does for the kind of violent action we associate with the iconic character who first breathed cinematic life nearly a half-century ago with Richard Roundtree taking on the streetwise man immortalized in Oscar-winning lyrics that described him as “the black private dick that’s a sex machine to all the chicks.
They couldn’t be more of an odd couple as J.J. finds his path crossing with his father when he needs some down-and-dirty help in solving the mysterious murder of a friend, a war vet and drug addict who supposedly overdosed. This all leads to a mosque and a suspected Islamic terrorist group, as well as an organization called Brothers Helping Brothers, a group of vets who might have darker intentions that that name indicates.
Ultimately it becomes a Shaft family affair when the eldest John Shaft shows ’em he hasn’t lost his touch. Unlike the 2000 reboot, in which Jackson played a Shaft who was a nephew to the original, he has now been changed to his father and J.J.’s grandfather. They make quite the trio in the film’s last third, and though much of it is over-the-top high jinks, it all is quite entertaining. A big reason for that is Jackson, who slips into this guise of Shaft with the comfort of a pair of old shoes.
Of course this is helped enormously by that famous Oscar-winning Isaac Hayes theme music, nicely adapted and incorporated into Christopher Lennertz’s ace score. Tim Story directs expertly, no stranger to bringing a sharp comedic style when needed. The producer is John Davis. Warner Bros. releases the New Line Cinema production in previews tonight and wide Friday ahead of Father’s Day. Check out my video review with clips from the movie at the link above this post.
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