3 Reasons Shaft (2019) Isn’t Shaft!

Originally this was going to be titled “3 reasons why Shaft (2019) Sucks” like I did for a previous Samuel L. Jackson movie “The Hitman’s bodyguard” (and other films like “All Eyez on me") but the problem is, the new shaft film doesn’t suck. It’s just not “Shaft”. So instead of saying the film sucks, let’s point out why this film isn’t considered a Shaft film (to me at least). This film is the fifth film in the Shaft film series and a sequel to the 2000 film with the same title, although way more comedic in tone. Unlike its previous film, which was distributed by Paramount Pictures, this film is produced by New Line Cinema & Netflix (who already have it streaming overseas) and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, who own the first three features and the TV series due to its acquisition of the pre-1986 MGM library when it absorbed Turner Entertainment through the Time Warner formation in 1996.

On February 18, 2015, it was announced that New Line Cinema had acquired the rights to Shaft, based on the famous detective character, John Shaft, and would develop a new film within the series along with producer John Davis of Davis Entertainment. On July 28, 2015, it was reported that Kenya Barris and Alex Barnow would be writing the script for the new film, which would also be produced by Ira Napoliello. On January 20, 2017, the studio hired Tim Story to direct the film. On August 18, 2017, Jessie Usher was cast to play the lead role as the son of Samuel L. Jackson's John Shaft II from the 2000 film, while Richard Roundtree and Jackson would reprise their roles from the previous films and in October 2017, Netflix signed a deal with New Line Cinema to cover more than half of the film's $30 million budget in exchange for the rights, which allowed Netflix to release the film on its platform outside of the United States two weeks after the theatrical release in the U.S. Filming began in February 2018. It was reported that the film already wrapped up production in the early part of the year but the cast went back to re-shoot some scenes in Atlanta (which is why Harlem doesn’t look like Harlem in this film) in August 2018. They should of reshot this whole movie because it’s soo inconsistent with the rest of the franchise (films, tv show, comics, the shaft theme song), that this film feels more like a reboot than a sequel to the classic film and it’s modern sequel in 2001. Here are a few reasons why I feel like that.

1)Shaft was not a fuck fest!

Rewatch 2001’s Shaft. How many times did Samuel L. Jackson said the word “motherfucker”? 13 times. In total. In the new film, within the first 5 minutes, not only did they surpass the number.. everyone is screaming “fuck”, “motherfucker”, etc. The franchise always been rated R and it’s basically have become Samuel’s thing to say fuck a lot in his films but I feel like this film took it a bit too far! When Samuel used to say motherfucker in his films, it was like poetry. This film on the other hand is mumble rap. I don’t mind cursing in film but shaft isn’t Samuel L Jackson. Samuel may play Shaft but shaft isn’t Samuel. I felt like I was watching a Wayan’s brother parody of Shaft. Like a “low down dirty shame part 2”. Speaking of comedy, that brings me to my next point.

2)Shaft ISN'T a comedy!

The original films are neo-noir action crime movies with the 2001 version kinda going the thriller route. This new film however is a generic action comedy (think of films like “Ride along”). Shaft and the rest of the cast are cracking jokes every 5 minutes. Everyone is a comedian! You can have funny moments without making the whole film a comedy. Look back at the last shaft. Scenes like Busta Rhymes talking to the press when he’s supposed to be driving off in the limo or the fat guy eating donuts who’s wants to become a cop, the last film had a perfect balance of drama, suspense and comedy. This new film only kept the comedy.

3)Romantic subplot

There’s a line in the moment where Jesse (who plays Shaft the third) says “don’t mind him, he thinks he’s the black James Bond”. That line fits in the film because in a way, he was the black James Bond (especially with Shaft in Africa) and just like James Bond, he had his own Bond girls. Every film was a different woman and none of them because the focus of the film. Not even as a subplot. Not once was the franchise about John maintaining a relationship with anyone. He had plenty of sex, had plenty of women but it wasn’t a huge part of the plot. The investigation override everything in the Shaft franchise but this film not only gives him a love interests to focus on but their relationship is basically part of the plot. There was never a moment in the series where you see Shaft going the distance to get with a specific woman constantly and we never saw the women’s point of view of being with a guy like shaft. We all know shaft was a player but this film made him a womanizer who can’t be without a woman for more than 5 minutes. I love Regina Hall and as always she gives 100% to her roles but it felt so misplaced because never in any of the previous shaft films was there a romantic interests that we the audience had to focus on. Shaft smashes and than dashes and that’s the last we see of his relationships.

Other reasons shaft ISN'T shaft

Another reason I don’t like this film is that It lost its grittiness and feels like a stylized polished mainstream pop movie with zack Snyder style shootouts with close up of the bullets while playing James brown in the background. It quickly becomes feels generic comedy like a “uncle drew” (which had way more heart than this film) but my biggest complaint about this film is that they turned Shaft into a dead beat dad! Not just Samuel L. Jackson’s shaft but Richard Roundtree as well (who shows up 90 mins into the film compared to the last one where he was Shaft mentor who showed up numerous times). This film completely ruins the continuity of the previous films. Rewriting the fact the original shaft isn’t 2001’s Shafts uncle, but is actually his father when we literally spent the whole last movie explaining their relationship, just to throw it out with one line in this film. How is Shaft, the man who would risk his neck for brother man a dead beat dad? I just can’t see it and you’re telling me throughout the last Shaft film that, that man had a son somewhere that he wasn’t taking care of? Na. I call bullshit.The original film deals with themes like the Black Power movement, race, masculinity, and sexuality. Now we do touch on masculinity and sexuality in this film but race and the black power movement is completely gone. Sure the last film didn’t focus much on the movement but you still felt the black culture within the film. This film felt like they were trying to hard to keep it black. The fact they don’t play Issac Hayes throughout the film is a spit in the face as well. ​The film is very funny and the cast brings their a game and its a good script if it wasn’t a shaft film. This film puts too much focus on comedy, Screws up the morals of shaft and shits on the original (by not playing Issac Hayes and Richard Roundtree role reduced to basically a cameo).