By: Keaton Marcus

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15, YOU MUST ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

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I liked the original ”Shaft” picture, a classic 1971 blaxploitation classic starring Richard Roundtree, who played the title character. Really, who didn't? However, who knew it was going to sprout a cheesy, but admittedly fun franchise? In the midst of the African American led series came to a reboot/sequel starring all-star Samuel L. Jackson as Shaft’s son. It did business, proving that audiences were still into the badass private detective. Did we really need another sequel that had foul traces of reboot in it? Well, ”Ride Along,” filmmaker Tim Story thinks so. The director decided to stuff a new ”Shaft” in our face, still starring both veterans Samuel l Jackson, and Richard Roundtree as the father and son duo, also adding in actor Jessie Usher to play the newest, and youngest Shaft in the business. It's not as bad as it sounds, with good-natured performances, and some interesting laughs; but overall, the crudely constructed reboot that feels outdated and a little unnecessary.

In this multigenerational reboot, the plot (if there is one) zooms in on Shaft Jr. He's the opposite of his father, afraid of guns, and women--he works for the FBI as a data analyst. When his friend Karim, a vet in the army, is killed, labeled conspicuously as an accidental death by the police, he decides to go to his estranged father. Enter daddy Shaft, a private detective who spends most of his time drinking and shagging women. After agreeing to help his son on the case, they find that this looks suspiciously like murder. There's the story, familiar and dull, but excusing the painful plot, this new ”Shaft” is a reasonably enjoyable, and forgettable comedy.

One major disappointment about the reboot is the change of leads. Sure the one fault is disposable amidst loads of quips, but Jessie Usher sure ain't got the natural talent of both Jackson, and Roundtree. Usher sure tries to represent the younger version of Shaft, with the script squeezing more swearing in than the film can handle, he even turns out to be an expert shooter; but the performance never hits the right notes. There are moments where Usher is the center of the laughs, but even the yuk here and there fails to make audiences forget about the poorly executed performance.

Most likely the best bits about the film are Samuel L Jackson and Richard Roundtree’s game outings. Jackson’s older Shaft is still the badass he once was, shooting, having sex, swearing, and well, shagging more. Not only that, the mainstream of the yuks come from him, obviously, giving the audiences another taste of the real Shaft. Otherwise, while Roundtree doesn't enter until the last 20 minutes of the film, it's more than enough time to give the actor another satisfying performance, while giving him the usual father-son banter with Jackson.

The final verdict is: The multigenerational “Shaft” reboot delivers some sporadic laughs, but besides that, the outdated plotting, and the unwanted feel of the film drowns the retake in murky, murky waters…$KIP IT

By: Keaton Marcus

Box Office Info: (a Netflix production, but also released in theaters)

Opening Weekend: 8.9m

Domestic Total: 21.3m

Worldwide Total: 21.3m