Shaft
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Singleton
Produced by	Mark Roybal Scott Rudin Eric Steel
Written by	Ernest Tidyman (novel) John Singleton Shane Salerno Richard Price
Starring	Samuel L. Jackson Vanessa L. Williams Jeffrey Wright Christian Bale Busta Rhymes Dan Hedaya Ruben Santiago-Hudson Josef Sommer Lynne Thigpen with Toni Collette Philip Bosco Pat Hingle Lee Tergesen Daniel Von Bargen Sonja Sohn Peter McRobbie and Richard Roundtree Cameo appearances: Mekhi Phifer
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	June 16, 2000
Running time	99 min.
Country	United States
Language	English Spanish
Budget	$44,000,000 US (est.)
Gross revenue	$107,196,498[1]

Shaft is a 2000 American action-crime film directed by John Singleton, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Mekhi Phifer and Christian Bale. This film is technically not a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, but rather a sequel, since it features Richard Roundtree briefly reprising his role as the original John Shaft. Jackson's John Shaft character is the nephew of the original John Shaft. The film received fairly positive reviews and opened at the number one position at the box office when it debuted.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Soundtrack 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Plot

NYPD Detective John Shaft is called in to investigate the racially motivated murder of Trey Howard, committed by Walter Wade Jr., the son of a wealthy real estate tycoon. Shaft briefly meets a potential eyewitness to the murder, Diane Palmieri, but she disappears soon after and cannot be found for the trial. Wade Jr. is let off on bail and flees to Switzerland.

Two years later, Wade Jr. returns and Shaft rearrests him for leaving the country. During his temporary incarceration at police headquarters, Wade Jr. meets Peoples Hernandez, a Dominican drug lord. Wade Jr., his passport relinquished, is let off on bail again, and in frustration Shaft resigns from the police force, promising to bring Wade Jr. to justice on his own terms. Worried that Shaft might find the missing eyewitness, Wade Jr. hires Peoples Hernandez to find and kill her first.

Shaft continues his search for Diane, enlisting the help of his friends Detective Carmen Vasquez and taxi driver Rasaan. While visiting Diane's uncooperative mother, Shaft and Carmen realise they're being followed by officers Jack Roselli and Jimmy Groves, who have been paid by Peoples to follow Shaft and get to Diane.

Shaft manages to find Diane Palmieri, but before they can talk, they are attacked by Peoples's men. In the shootout, Shaft kills Peoples's younger brother. Shaft, Diane, Rasaan and Diane's brother manage to escape to Rasaan's apartment, but they are followed by Roselli and Groves. While at the apartment, Diane confesses that she saw the entire murder, and took money for her silence.

When Peoples arrives at the location, another shootout takes place. Roselli and Groves, outed as corrupt, are killed by Carmen. In a face-off between Shaft and Peoples, Peoples insinuates that he's been working for Wade, and Shaft kills him. Wade Jr.'s trial finally arrives. Before it can begin, he is shot in the chest by Trey's mother, Carla Howard, and dies on the spot.

In the police station, Shaft reiterates to Carmen that he prefers to be a private detective. A woman arrives, asking for Shaft to help her, claiming to have an abusive boyfriend. Shaft is initially reluctant, but when he sees her injury, he decides to help her anyway.

[edit] Cast

• Samuel L. Jackson as John Shaft
• Vanessa L. Williams as Carmen Vasquez
• Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez
• Christian Bale as Walter Wade, Jr.
• Busta Rhymes as Rasaan
• Dan Hedaya as Jack Roselli
• Toni Collette as Diane Palmieri
• Richard Roundtree as Uncle John Shaft
• Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Jimmy Groves
• Josef Sommer as Curt Flemming
• Lynne Thigpen as Carla Howard
• Philip Bosco as Walter Wade, Sr.
• Pat Hingle as Judge Dennis Bradford
• Lee Tergesen as Luger
• Daniel von Bargen as Lt. Kearney
• Mekhi Phifer as Trey Howard

The director of the original Shaft, Gordon Parks, appears in a cameo at the Lenox Lounge party as "Mr. P," as a homage by director John Singleton to the original film.

[edit] Soundtrack

Shaft
Soundtrack by Various artists
Released	June 6, 2000
Recorded	2000
Genre	Hip hop, R&B
Label	LaFace
Professional reviews
allmusic link

The soundtrack was released on June 6, 2000 through LaFace Records and consisted of hip hop and R&B music. The soundtrack peaked at 22nd on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and featured one single "Bad Man". On July 11, 2000, the soundtrack was certified gold.

Track listing

1. Shaft: Theme by Isaac Hayes
2. Bad Man by R. Kelly
3. Up and Outta Here by R. Kelly
4. Do What I Gotta Do by Donell Jones
5. Rock Wit U by Alicia Keys
6. We Servin' by Big Gipp
7. Tough Guy by Outkast
8. 2 Glock 9's by T.I.
9. Summer Rain by Carl Thomas
10. Automatic by Sleepy Brown
11. Pimp Shit by Too Short
12. Cheatin' by Liberty City
13. Fix Me by Parle
14. How You Want It? by Mil
15. Ain't Gonna See Tomorrow by Mystikal
16. My Lovin' Will Give You Something by Angie Stone
17. Serenata Negra by Fulanito

[edit] References

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009)

[edit] External links

• Shaft at Rotten Tomatoes
• Shaft at Box Office Mojo
• Shaft at the Internet Movie Database

v • d • e Shaft Films Shaft (1971 film) · Shaft's Big Score · Shaft in Africa · Shaft (2000 film) Characters John Shaft Related articles Shaft television series · "Theme from Shaft" · 1971 soundtrack

v • d • e Films directed by John Singleton Boyz n the Hood (1991) • Poetic Justice (1993) • Higher Learning (1995) • Rosewood (1997) • Shaft (2000) • Baby Boy (2001) • 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) • Four Brothers (2005)