Shaft

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Shaft

R

Released Jul 2, 1971

1h 40m

Crime

Drama

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn), the leader of the black crime mob, then against black nationals, and finally working with both against the white mafia who are trying to blackmail Bumpy by kidnapping his daughter.

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Critics Consensus

This is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man. Can you dig it?

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Budd Wilkins

Slant Magazine

Quintessential blaxploitation that launched a thousand imitators, Gordon Parks’s Shaft is much more than a rollicking crowd-pleaser, as it’s also a snapshot of a bygone era.

Aug 2, 2022

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Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

A good, gutsy crime yarn in the 'forties style.

Jun 8, 2020

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Craig Fisher

The Hollywood Reporter

If Shaft were indeed a hard-hitting, fast-paced, action-packed detective thriller, as it was meant to be, then it would be an acceptable entertainment. But it isn't.

Jun 25, 2018

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

One of the best of all blaxploitation flicks.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 29, 2023

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Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Oozing masculinity with his streetwise manner towards suspects, Shaft is a triumph...

Feb 22, 2023

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Imran Khan

PopMatters

There has been a slew of lesser imitations of Park’s film, but none have cut it close. Shaft has become incontestably Roundtree’s own through a performance that seems not only natural and off-the-cuff but imbued with a sense of street life...

Jul 12, 2022

Full Review

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Blu B

A Blaxploitation Crime Classic. There were some Blaxploitation flicks before this but this is the one that launched the genre into what we know and for good reasons. The soundtrack bleeds 70's funk and is amazing. Normally this would be the best thing but that belongs to Richard Roundtree as John Shaft. He is COOL....there's no other way to say it. Without him this wouldn't be as memorable. He eschews confidence, charisma, and badass more than most traditional action heroes past and present ever could. Unlike a lot of things today he never feels like his toughness is forced or manufactuered as well. He's just awesome overall honestly. The setting is really memorable, the cinematography is really good too. The supporting cast is good but no one comes close to Shaft. Acting overall is really good thanks to him. Everything else is solid. This is a mix of a neo-noir crime drama and a 70's action flick though much more on the tamer slower side than one would think. This isn't like a Lethal Weapon with lots of humor and fast pacing. It's on the slow side suprisngly but it gives it more substance with the crime and seeing Shaft be a badass detective and use his head more than just shooting a gun or for cheap laughs. Sometimes it gets a bit too slow and some scenes especially when the music don't play or Shaft isn't on screen just kind of are there but it really doesn't matter overall. Also the ending really takes a long time to build too but it works well. Anyone who is a fan of Blaxploitation, any actors in this, crime flicks or noirs should check this out.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

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Dick C

In the 70's, this motion picture is very good...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/08/24

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Steve D

It is dated but I can still dig it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/01/23

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Jonathan O

I'm really entertain for shaft is definitely the best blacxploitation of the 70's very magnificent performance by Richard Roundtree and terrific musical soul by Issac Hayes and really outstanding sharp writing and directing and incredible cinematography ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/23

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Chris M

One of the OG is Blaxploitation action and even though it's not perfect. It's still fairly great. It has some really annoying minor characters and pacing issues. Like the studio wanted it to be a certain runtime and they had to pad it to get the length they wanted. But overall, one of the GOAT of Blaxploitation cinema.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/11/23

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Jelisije J

An average don't play by the rules bad ass detective cop movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

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Gordon Parks

Director

Richard Roundtree

John Shaft

Moses Gunn

Bumpy Jonas

Christopher St. John

Ben Buford

Charles Cioffi

Vic Androzzi

Gwenn Mitchell

Ellie Moore

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Synopsis

John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn), the leader of the black crime mob, then against black nationals, and finally working with both against the white mafia who are trying to blackmail Bumpy by kidnapping his daughter.

Director: Gordon Parks
Producer: Joel Freeman
Screenwriter: Ernest Tidyman, Ernest Tidyman, John D. F. Black
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Shaft Productions Ltd.
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 1971, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Runtime: 1h 40m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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