Taglines: More Shaft than you can handle.
JJ, aka John Shaft Jr. (Usher), may be a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death, he needs an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ’s youth, the legendary locked-and-loaded John Shaft (Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly. And while JJ’s own FBI analyst’s badge may clash with his dad’s trademark leather coat, there’s no denying family. Besides, Shaft’s got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that’s professional and personal.
Shaft is a 2019 American action comedy film directed by Tim Story and written by Kenya Barris and Alex Barnow. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher, and Richard Roundtree. It is the fifth film in the Shaft series and a direct sequel to the 2000 film with the same title. The film was released theatrically in the United States on June 14, 2019 by Warner Bros. Pictures, and digitally in international markets on June 28, 2019 by Netflix. It received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office.
About the Story
Harlem, New York City, 1989. Private detective John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) is arguing with his girlfriend Maya Babanikos (Regina Hall) in the streets, just before they are approached by some armed criminals. Shaft spots them and protects Maya as the thugs open fire on their car. He exits the car and shoots the thugs dead, before finding that one of them is carrying drugs pushed by the ruthless drug lord Pierro “Gordito” Carrera (Isaach De Bankole). Shaft goes back to Maya, and it is revealed that their baby son, John Jr (or JJ), was sitting in the backseat, but thankfully unharmed. The two agree that the life Shaft lives is too dangerous for them as a family, and they must part ways.
Over the next 25 years, Shaft remains invisible from JJ’s life, but still tries to acknowledge him by sending him gifts (like a Super Bowl ring and a box of condoms). JJ (now played by Jessie T. Usher) has gotten by with his friends Sasha Arias (Alexandra Shipp) and Karim Hassan (Avan Jogia). He graduates from MIT and becomes a cybersecurity expert for the FBI. Special Agent Vietti (Titus Welliver) briefs the others on the need for extra surveillance on the Rashad Azzam Mosque and its Imam Farik Bahar (Amato D’Apolito) since he is deemed suspicious due to frequent trips to Afghanistan, but they want to keep it from appearing as an Islamophobic investigation. JJ wants in on the case, but Vietti refuses to put him on since he is unqualified.
JJ meets with Sasha and Karim in a bar. Karim, now a former marine and recovering addict, tells them about a program called Brothers Watching Brothers that is dedicated to helping vets who have struggled with addiction. Karim then abruptly leaves, and JJ goes after him to make sure he is okay. He assures JJ that he is fine, and he thanks him for always supporting him. In the morning, Maya calls JJ and tells him that Karim has been found dead.
Karim’s funeral is held, with his friends, family, and fellow marines mourning him. JJ looks into the crime scene report on Karim’s death, which states that he was found dead from an apparent overdose outside the building of a known drug dealer named Manny Orozco (Ian Casselberry). He goes around the area and learns from a neighborhood kid of Manny’s location. JJ approaches them but is knocked out by one of Manny’s goons after asking about Karim. He wakes up in the hospital and is tended by Sasha, who is a nurse. He tells her that Manny is never going to talk to him or a cop about Karim, so he has to find the one guy who will make him talk.
JJ goes to his father’s office and meets him for the first time. Although their encounter is tense, JJ admits that he needs his father’s help in solving the case. Shaft sees that JJ has been hit, and JJ says it was one of Manny’s goons. Shaft takes JJ back to the building where he takes down Manny’s goons and shoots them in the legs before finding Manny, who already knows Shaft. After learning that he assaulted Shaft’s son, Manny runs into the streets, but Shaft causes a truck to stop and make Manny run into it. Shaft breaks Manny’s hand as he gets him to give up info on Karim, and he mentions the Brothers Watching Brothers team.
On the way to the rehab center where BWB is located, Shaft and JJ clash over the fact that Shaft is so abrasive and violent while JJ is more soft and timid by comparison. They arrive and meet Karim’s friends Major Gary Cutworth, or “Cutty” (Matt Lauria), Sgt. Keith Williams (Robbie Jones), and Staff Sgt. Eddie Dominguez (Aaron Dominguez). They mention that Karim became more religious after he started attending the Rashad Mosque, which is where he met his girlfriend Anam (Almeera Jiwa). Dominguez appears uncomfortable with mentioning Karim, so the two leave, but Shaft seems suspicious.
Shaft (2019)
Directed by: Tim Story
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher, Regina Hall, Matt Lauria, Alexandra Shipp, Method Man, Richard Roundtree, Athena Akers, Jessica Dawson Strong, Robbie Jones
Screenplay by: Kenya Barris, Alex Barnow
Production Design by:
Cinematography by: Larry Blanford
Film Editing by: Peter S. Elliot
Costume Design by: Olivia Miles
Set Decoration by: Missy Parker
Art Direction by: Brittany Hites, Jeremy Woolsey
Music by: Christopher Lennertz
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, violence, sexual content, some drug material and brief nudity.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: June 14, 2019
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