Review of Shaft

Introduction

From the front DVD cover, you know you’re looking at an action film with grit. With Samuel L. Jackson striding towards you, you’re also looking at one with the attitude and wordy “bite” that only he can bring to the role. Accompanying him is also a wealth of talent. The gorgeous Vanessa Williams, Christian Bale who gave a very frightening portrayal in American Psycho, Toni Collette who did “worried Boston mother” extremely convincingly in The Sixth Sense (considering she’s Australian), and to round it up, it gets a signoff from the original Shaft himself… Richard Roundtree.

Which makes watching the film all the more disappointing! This is definitely a case of style over substance. A few minutes after watching the slick credits go by, you realise that the whole film is window dressing. It just piles on the gloss, hoping you don’t realise that behind the A-list of talent, and the wonderful remixed Issac Hayes score, there is a lame script that only accommodates one-dimensional characters and a highly predictable storyline.

The basic story is set up very quickly, a race murder, and a witness that goes on the run. However there is no further explanation in the film as to why the murderer committed the crime, which makes it a lame excuse for Shaft to be a “bad mo-fo!” This is also quite grating. The film follows some very predictable twists and turns. There are shootouts that remind me of watching Star-Wars - anyone trying to shoot Shaft misses (but only just) although Shaft is a sure shot, gunning badness and villainy down whenever he reaches for his pistol!

The ending is just as disappointing, everything is tied up in nice bows for the audience (at this point I wouldn’t have expected anything more from this film), and the “twist at the end” doesn’t even qualify to be a kink! I’ve seen better episodes of the A-Team than this nonsense. This is a B-film with a large budget. I’m surprised that such a welterweight of talent signed up for this rubbish and didn’t run for the hills once they laid eyes on the script!

Video

The print has been enhanced for 16:9 TV’s and looks clean and fine. There is not much to tax a DVD’s capabilities here. Skin tones are accurate, shadow details are good, and there is good contrast detail also. The picture does fall down slightly at the end. It seems that the person transferring the film to DVD just forgot about the last two minutes, as there is a definite grain added to the picture. It looks as though you’re watching the film through metal gauze. This doesn’t detract too badly (the film does that all of its own accord!) as it is only the last couple of minutes. It’s not a stunning transfer, but not a bad one either.

Audio

Average. From a film that relies so heavily on “gloss” I would have expected more in the sound department. However this is an area where it fails to live up to expectations also. Don’t get me wrong, all dialogue is clear (even Jeffrey Wright’s mumbling Latino speak), but generally sound doesn’t really jump out at you. The front three speakers are used well throughout the film with a decent score tripping along through the film. Panning effects were accurate with a good dynamic range. The rears are used mainly for background noise and ambience, and I believe that this is where is disappoints. With this sort of film you expect some “whiz-bang” effects (to get you through the tedium), however they just stand dormant for the majority of the movie failing to suck you into the film at this level either.

Features

Rather tame, nothing to shout about here either. You get cast and crew interviews that offer a little more insight into the making of the film. However they all think it’s rather wonderful, and Samuel was rather scared about playing this black icon of the 70s.

The “Shaft: Still the Man” making of featurette is the normal documentary that is played on Sky Movies or HBO when a film is due for release to give it publicity. It offers no in-depth knowledge and works merely as an extended trailer for the film. To be honest you can’t really distinguish between the “Cast & Crew Interviews” or the “Making of”. They are both done in the same style and feature a lot of backslapping between the principal actors.

Finally you get the trailer, the “Theme from Shaft” Issac Hayes music video and “Bad Man” R. Kelly music video. I’d given up caring by this point however.

Conclusion

This is a very bland package from Paramount. An unoriginal and weak painting-by-numbers film that is as predictable as your birthday. Talented actors can’t save the one-dimensional characters that the lame script has to offer. The action is mildly pleasing at best, but you’ve seen it done better in a wealth of other films. The picture is standard and the Dolby Digital sound fails to excite. The special features are - to be honest, rather boring. Oh, and Paramount… Dolby Digital sound, menus and scene selection aren’t special features – they are standards, please take them off your “Special Features” list. I suggest rent before you buy. Bland.