Shaft The Movie

Director John Singleton Always Makes Sure the Good Guys Come Out On Top

While there is no end to the litany of white heroes engaged in their almost religious rite of cleansing the earth of Black, Brown, Red and Yellow people, along comes the remake of the 1971 classic movie “Shaft” to somewhat even the scales.

Now before you express disbelief that the TEI is framing the movie Shaft within the parameters of a racial dynamic, we ask you to consider Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator movies, The Equalizer television series, Charles Bronson in the Death Wish movies and Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, and many others, going back to the long filmography of “The Duke” John Wayne.  

In all of those movies, the roles of the leading men involved the indestructible White law enforcer (or android in the case of The Terminator) maintaining, law and order in the society by killing others.  This is the propaganda technique known as entertainment as indoctrination. 

The original “Shaft” starring Richard Roundtree was released in 1971, and upon its release, defined, the genre which is now referred to as “blaxploitation.”  Indeed “Shaft” has enjoyed greater longevity in video rental centers, and home video libraries across the land than any of the other movies produced during the period of that genre.  It has become somewhat of a cult classic, however it is more memorable, and deservingly so, for its theme song by Isaac Hayes, than the quality of the story or acting in it.

The remake by Director John Singleton (Poetic Justice, Boyz N The Hood, Rosewood, Higher Learning) has done much to ensure that this movie will be enjoyed for years to come.  Casting the original Shaft, Richard Roundtree as the uncle of the “new” Shaft, Singleton remains true.

The lead role played by the seemingly ubiquitous Samuel L. Jackson is brilliant. Jackson absorbs the role of Shaft and convinces you that this Armani-clad Black superhero is undeniably invincible.  Even after the vehicle that they are in is used as a battering ram, flips several times and catches on fire, Shaft emerges without even a scratch.  And of course, with Shaft – it is one shot, one kill.  He never misses.

The character of Shaft is developed quickly and he materializes as a community folk hero.  A vigilante that stands up for the downtrodden and voiceless who sometimes bends the rules to ensure that justice is served.  In other words, Miranda is non-existent.

The Black and White dynamic emerges from this conflict, while in a plot twist, the well-connected rich Caucasian boy attempts to recruit a Dominican drug lord, Peoples Hernandez, to take out Shaft.  Very interesting.

John Singleton, always true to the Hip Hop, gives Busta Rhymes a role as Rasaan. Busta is outrageous as ever and adds nicely to the film by not coming too strong but being involved enough to know that he is still there and coming through in the clutch for Shaft. The role of Peoples Hernandez played convincingly by Jeffery Wright is unforgettable.

Shaft is enjoyable, if not for the thoughtful stimulation of viewing the Black and White racial dynamic at work, see it just because it is entertaining and full of action.

This may seem out of character for the TEI to review a movie, however, we have to do something for fun while spending our days and nights correcting the established historical record.

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