The entertainment world lost a trailblazing talent when Richard Roundtree passed away from pancreatic cancer on October 24, 2023. Although Roundtree amassed an impressive 160 acting credits in his decorated career, most people will remember the actor best for playing Shaft, largely considered the first Black action movie hero who paved the way for generations to come. With a suave, smart, confident, and ultra-cool demeanor, Roundtree portrayed John Shaft five times in the 1970s before Samuel L. Jackson took the mantle as John Shaft Jr. in 2000.
All in all, there have been five Shaft movies produced between 1971 and 2019 — and somewhat confusingly, three out of the five are all named Shaft. While the quality of each entry varies, there's no denying the cultural impact and positive portrayal of Blackness that Roundtree is partially responsible for in helping advance the depiction of race in American movies. To celebrate the pioneering actor's lasting legacy, it's time to reflect on the Shaft franchise and parse which entries fare the best.
5 Shaft (2019)
Nineteen years after Samuel L. Jackson played John Shaft for the first time, the ubiquitous actor reprised the role in the 2019 sequel simply titled Shaft. Directed by Tim Story, the plot concerns Shaft investigating the apparent drug overdose of his son's friend, which leads them to a corrupt rehab clinic fronting an illegal drug operation. Roundtree plays John Shaft Sr. in his final appearance as the revolutionary action hero.
How It Ranks on the Shaft Coolness Scale
Although the newest iteration wisely injected a significant dose of humor that pokes fun at the political incorrectness of Shaft's 1970s origin, many felt that the plot of the 2019 action comedy was too formulaic. The action scenes were too rote and uninspired to make a lasting impression. Even the star wattage of featuring three Shafts (Roundtree, Jackson, and Jessie T. Usher) couldn't reasonably compensate for the lack of ultra-cool sexiness that defined the franchise in the '70s.
Perhaps most damning, despite the attempt to modernize the action through cyber-technology, Shaft's characterizations feel painfully outdated in the 21st century. The movie isn't a complete failure on its own merits, but when compared to the franchise as a whole, the most recent Shaft leaves a lot to be desired.
4 Shaft's Big Score! (1972)
Following the monumental success of the original Shaft, MGM quickly ordered a sequel. In addition to Roundtree playing John Shaft once more, director Gordon Parks and writer Ernest Tidyman all returned for Shaft's Big Score! The plot involves Shaft in the middle of a violent drug war after one of his friends is killed and leaves $250,000 behind. As Shaft protects his sister from the rival drug gangs, he must find the money and ensure it stays out of the wrong hands.
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How It Ranks on the Shaft Coolness Scale
Despite having a budget nearly four times as big as the original, Shaft's Big Score felt a bit too rushed and incomplete to resonate with audiences. The movie was released less than one year after the original, with the attempt to capitalize on the success of the first movie resulting in a hasty, subpar effort.
While the production values and swift direction by Parks were lauded, most critics agreed that the film lacked the cool charms of the first film — the very quality that made Shaft such a refreshing new movie icon. Moreover, when Oscar-winner Isaac Hayes declined to score the film as he did for the original, Parks took his place and delivered a much different musical score that alienated fans.
3 Shaft in Africa (1973)
As its title suggests, Shaft in Africa took the iconic Black action hero in a whole new direction. Director John Guillermin replaced Gordon Parks and writer Stirling Siliphant replaced Ernest Tidyman, resulting in a story that finds John Shaft attempting to stop a modern-day slavery operation in Africa, which entails trafficked young African workers being exploited in France. Although the movie was a box office flop, earning just $1.5 million against a $2.1 million budget (via Fanmade Films), the action sequel is vastly underrated.
How It Ranks on the Shaft Coolness Scale
In spite of its financial failures, Shaft in Africa remains an underrated franchise entry that merits a rewatch. Beyond the invigorating new setting that transports Shaft from an urban environment to a rural undeveloped landscape, the plot tackles a relevant topic and attempts to expose the moral corruption of the African slave trade that still persisted in parts of the country in the '70s.
Although some critics felt the movie was a bit too safe in its political expressions, the biggest compliment the film received was Roundtree reinstalling the sensual vibe that made Shaft so hip and popular in the first place. Alas, even with its clear James Bond spy movie inspiration, the movie's financial failures put an end to Shaft's iconic cinematic run in the '70s.
2 Shaft (2000)
Nearly 30 years after Shaft was last seen, the late great John Singleton revived the character with undeniable vim and vigor with the 2000 film Shaft. Better yet, Singleton cast arguably the only actor who could hold a candle to Roundtree's strength, smarts, and debonair coolness: Samuel L. Jackson, who took the mantle and effortlessly slipped into the role. The contemporary sequel centers on John Shaft, the nephew of the original New York private eye, who is determined to solve a racially motivated murder and bring the assailant to justice.
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How It Ranks on the Shaft Coolness Scale
Aside from the commanding gravitas and elegant sophistication that Jackson displays in honor of Richard Roundtree, Singleton's deft direction of the action scenes is downright riveting. Clearly a passion project from the talented filmmaker who made a career giving voice to marginalized Black characters, Shaft's racially-tinged plot also gets to the heart of what made the franchise so important to begin with.
Moreover, with standout supporting turns by Roundtree as Uncle Shaft, as well as Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, and others, the level of acting in the modern-day sequel is arguably the most compelling of the entire franchise. Perhaps best of all, Shaft proves that it's possible to revive a character defined by his time and update it for a whole new era without missing a beat.
1 Shaft (1971)
Without question, the original Shaft will always stand head and shoulders above any sequel, spinoff, or reboot. The plot revolves around John Shaft, a supremely suave, smart, and sexy Black private eye in Harlem hired to find a gangster's abducted daughter. A landmark cultural touchstone, Shaft was a true success story in more ways than one. Firstly, the movie cost roughly $500,000 to produce and grossed over $12 million worldwide (via The Numbers), launching a lucrative action movie franchise that spawned the four aforementioned sequels.
How It Ranks on the Shaft Coolness Scale
Thanks in large part to Richard Roundtree's natural charisma and charming screen command, Shaft revolutionized Blaxploitation cinema to give movie audiences a bona fide Black action hero for a whole new generation to root for and identify with. The societal impact included a profoundly positive representation of the character that many critics and historians have recognized as helping progress the depiction of Blackness in Hollywood.
Shaft also won an Academy Award for Best Music: Original Song for Isaac Hayes' iconic "Theme from Shaft," which added undeniable style to the movie. In addition to spawning a franchise that has persisted for five decades, Shaft's influence on the Blaxploitation genre writ large also adds to its immeasurable cultural effect.