If they don’t change the title of the film or the the actors in the film, but they do change the plot significantly, does that make it a remake or a sequel? I suppose it doesn’t really matter; today’s aggressive form of generation bating is Shaft, a franchise which has turned its focus from minority empowerment to any number of random targets: millennials, feminism, drug dealers, THE MAN, law enforcement, civility, PC behavior, modern parenting … just lemme know when you’re done with the bully lessons, cuz most of this stuff is entertaining.
Decades ago, John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) was busy ignoring his wife (Regina Hall) as she read him the riot act in their (poorly parked) car. Bad guys arrived at the scene and proceeded to do what bad guys do in Samuel Jackson films i.e. get riddled with bullets. If you wanted to know where this picture stood on “The Man Show” spectrum, look no further. Miss Shaft goes from in-control and angry to “piece of furniture” in about 1/10th of a second and Shaft saves everybody with his gun. In more than few ways, Shaft is the escape of escapes for any man who has meekly uttered the words, “Yes, Dear.” (This would be a dangerous philosophy if one took it seriously.)
Decades later, the battle of the sexes is eschewed for a focus on JJ Shaft (Jessie T. Usher), the backseat infant during that shootout now all grown up to be a data analyst for the FBI. Only a film like this could make FBI data analyst seem like a put down. “OMG, steady, responsible, lawful, and gainful employment that requires consistent brain power! What kind of nerd are you?!” Females possibly turned-on by the badge JJ wears turn icily cold when the words “data analyst” escape from his lips … yeah, like nobody wants a friend who’s good with computers in 2019. (You’ll have to forgive my scorn as my current non-blog title is “data analyst.” Wait. Where are you going?) I‘m a tad embarrassed for JJ that he doesn’t seem to have any traditional FBI-related skills, i.e. shooting, fighting, reading a street scene, etc. Do they not teach these things to the computer-set dudes? Guess not.
JJ’s hidden talents remain hidden for much of the film, even as his high school friend is murdered in Harlem. JJ gets in over his head while investigating a drug dealer for the murder and it’s time to reach out to his estranged father. Then the funniest thing happens: Shaft does step in to solve JJ’s problems. Awwwwww, Shaft is a helicopter parent … or a snowplow parent depending on your perspective; isn’t that adorable? Only in a film like this could one man be both a deadbeat dad and a snowplow parent; just how does that work?
After getting a tad tired of fighting JJ’s battles, Shaft takes his son to a club … on a Tuesday night. At this point, you may be asking why I liked this film. I was asking myself the same. But then, the film allowed for JJ to step forward. He gets drunk at the club and pisses off the wrong fella. Shaft Sr. observes contentedly. And lucky for us he does, for in the best fight of the film, drunk JJ uses capoeira to subdue his aggressor while Shaft just spectates with amusement. Sr’s conclusion upon realizing his son has a black belt in dance fighting? “I was thisclose to being proud of you.” No, I don’t think there’s much positive to be taken from the lessons Shaft is offering, but that didn’t stop me from being entertained. Not one little bit.
Of course, the guys next to me thought they were watching unparalleled comic genius. They also looked like the kind of fathers who discipline with the phrase, “go get the switch.” Shaft is a great role for Samuel L. Jackson; he gets to go badass 24/7 while deliberately shielding any compromise his nature might have to offer. If you’re Samuel L. Jackson, you can get away with this; if you’re Steel Frog, you cannot. Nor should you. Shaft is a film in which problems get solved with guns (well geez, Jim, what did you expect with that astonishingly clever titular entendre?), and damned if director Tim Story didn’t hint that several non-violent problems could be solved with guns as well. Hence, while this picture is sickening for our current consciousness and malignant for where we ought to be headed as a people, a culture, a species, it should still find a stronghold in any house with a lingering respect for “macho.” I miss the days when Shaft was –in his way- an icon of equality, yet I certainly understand that a commentary saying equality has led to passivity, femininity, and helplessness has a place. If it were coming from any voice other than that of Samuel L. Jackson, I’d tell that voice to f*** off.
♪Who’s the suave private troll
Who makes that comment’ry so droll?
Frog! Damn right
Who is the man
Who will sit through through crap
Time and time again?
Frog! Can you dig it?
They say Frog is a bad writer
Meh, whatchagonnado?
Stop singin’ ‘bout Frog!
OK♫
Rated R, 111 Minutes
Director: Tim Story
Writer: Kenya Barris & Alex Barnow
Genre: Generation bating
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Tough love parents
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Diplomats
♪ Parody Inspired by “Theme from Shaft”
