Sam Jackson’s Remastered Reboot of Sexiest ’70s Series Now Free to Stream
By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Samuel L. Jackson was already a Hollywood legend when he was cast in the MCU, and his screen time as Nick Fury helped him gain more fans around the world. Those movies also solidified Jackson as an actor who could appear in major blockbusters. Because of this, it’s easy for fans to overlook the small roles he’s had over the years, especially the ones he played before he ditched the iconic leather jacket and eye patch.
However, long before he rocked that eye patch, Samuel L. Jackson was wearing an Armani suit and reviving a franchise that was almost as fun in the ’70s. In 2000, he played in The shafta film adaptation of the blaxploitation series starring legendary actor Richard Roundtree. If you’re ready to see Jackson play a private dick sex machine with all the chicks, you’re in luck: The shaft is streaming for free on Tubi, and this action thriller is perfect for those looking for an alternative to modern superhero slop.
The Ultimate Private Eye
The foundation of The shaft that the character whose name is written is a police officer struggling to bring to court a criminal who managed to escape years ago. When it looks like the justice system will fail to convict this man, Shaft resigns, becoming a detective who no longer plays by the rules. That gives him the freedom to hunt down the criminal by any means necessary, but because of the other man’s wealth and influence, he may put Shaft in the ground long before this disgruntled order locks his target in prison.
For a film that most modern moviegoers have never even heard of, Shaft features some big names, including Vanessa Williams (well known for Shwi and Mtekhala) as a detective who was eager to help Shaft out with his investigation that decided he was off the books. The movie’s sarcastic villain is played by Christian Bale (who is best known for The Dark Knight), who does an excellent job as the guy you love to hate. Other supporting actors in the film are Toni Collette, Jeffrey Wright, and Busta Rhymes, with the original. The shaft actor Richard Roundtree who makes a cameo that is a real crowd pleaser.
Shaft’s biggest star, however, is Samuel L. Jackson, whose swagger and style help him portray one of the most captivating characters to ever grace the small screen. The first one The shaft The TV show was a hit in the ’70s, and its title character quickly became famous as the perfect embodiment of masculinity. At the time it seemed impossible that anyone could successfully fill Richard Roundtree’s shoes, and the fact that Jackson did so with confidence and panache is a testament to his skills as Hollywood’s sharpest leading man.
An Early Aughts Hit at the Box Office
The shaft proved to be a reliable hit once it entered theaters, earning $107.2 million against a budget of just $46 million. While this film is by no means Samuel L. Jackson’s biggest blockbuster, its success helped establish his reputation as one of the most bankable stars in all of Hollywood. It took nearly two decades, but in 2019, this original film received a sequel featuring Jessie T. Usher as the son of Jackson’s Shaft; unfortunately, the film proved to be a critical and commercial bomb.
When The shaft came out at the turn of the century, impressing reviewers who wanted a throwback to the meat-and-potatoes story of the ’70s. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 67 percent, with critics praising the film for its clever and entertaining revision of the last exploitation TV show ever made. They praised Samuel L. Jackson for his cool and charming performance in his most stylish film since Pulp Fiction.
Growing up, I was too young to be a fan of the team The shaft TV show, and I only knew the actor by his great reputation. At first, I was worried that this might hurt my ability to enjoy Shaft as a film because the character had acquired some kind of fictional name in my head. I asked myself, how is it possible that any of today’s work could reach the fictional detective I had created in my mind?
The Coolest Cat in Hollywood
Fortunately, my worries turned out to be unnecessary: Samuel L. Jackson not only brought this character to full life, but the film as a whole was remarkably accessible to newcomers due to its straightforward structure and amazing performance. You don’t have to dive in The shaft It’s a myth to understand that Christian Bale’s character is a scuzzball and a detective named Jackson is here to put another man in his place. Other than that, all you have to do is sit back and immerse yourself in the rich world created by director John Singleton, the same man who helped them both. Boyz and the Hood again 2 Fast 2 Furious.
If you’re ready for a spicy slice of nostalgia, you can stream The shaft free on Tubi. Outside Pulp Fictionthis is arguably the best showcase of Samuel L. Jackson’s skills before he decided to assemble the Avengers into the most successful cinematic universe ever created. If nothing else, The shaft it’s a fascinating reminder to moviegoers that long before Jackson fought Loki on screen, he faced off against cinema’s most formidable foe of all: Batman!
