Shaft's Big Score! (1972)

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Siskoid
While the character of Shaft is iconic, the first movie was surprisingly generic in terms of story and action. Dozens if not hundreds of cop/P.I. flicks have done the same. It was really down to the performance and the music. And I don't think much more of Shaft's Big Score! (the music isn't as good), even if they upped the production value by throwing boats and helicopters and interesting locations into the mix. Director Gordon Parks has style and flair, which was also evident in the previous effort, which certainly makes these films rise above the level of competent. But the crime stories are the same kind of things we would expect from cop shows on TV in the coming 2+ decades. This time, a bookie is killed as rival mobsters try to move in on the action and steal his well-hidden stash, and Shaft's tangential connection to the man throws him into the mix. Roundtree is as slick and cool as usual, but more with the ladies than the baddies, who throw him around a lot. I also find fault with the third act's structure, as the main villain gets offed long before his henchmen who represent more sustained physical threats. There was no way to flip that around a bit to make it more satisfying? 1 year 10 months ago