Richard Barboza

New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for murder, but he jumps bail to Switzerland, returning to face trial two years later.

This ground breaking detective picture features Isaac Hayes' Oscar-winning theme song and stars Richard Roundtree ("Seven," "Shaft's Big Score") as John Shaft, a street-wise black detective hired to find the beautiful kidnapped daughter of powerful Harlem mobster, Moses Gunn ("Ragtime," "Heartbreak Ridge"). Helmed by award-winning director Gordon Parks ("The Learning Tree," "Leadbelly"), its huge commercial success spawned two sequels and a TV series.

Who delivers ten times out of ten? Samuel L. Jackson is Shaft, the man and the movie. John Singleton ("Boys 'n' the Hood") directs this gritty action-packed thriller. With his uncle John Shaft (Richard Roundtree, reprising his original role) as his mentor, it's no surprise that today's Shaft is the coolest dude and the hottest action around. To stop a racist killer (Christian Bale), Shaft's got to track down the only eyewitness (Toni Collette) that can put the perpetrator behind bars. As Shaft closes in, so does the danger. Armed with attitude and up against corrupt cops and venomous druglords, he's out to make crime pay up!

To stop a racist killer (Christian Bale) Shaft's got to track down the only eyewitness that can put him behind bars (Toni Collette). As Shaft closes in, so does the danger. Armed with attitude and up against corrupt cops and venomous druglords he's out to make crime pay up.