Great fun. I haven't seen the other Shaft films so I can't judge compared to that - I gather this changed the tone, sending a New York boy to Africa.
But the fact that he's black gives it wonderful freshness. It's still not that common to see black American movie leads set in Africa. This was shot in Ethiopia so the visuals are fantastic. Richard Rountree is lively and the film has resonance because it's about the modern day slave trade and the baddies seem to be South Africa and when two whites torture a black man at the end with wires you know that sort of thing was going on in South Africa.
Striling Silliphant seems to have at least done some basic research on African culture - of course clitorechtomy gets an airing. It did think it took a little long to get going - Shaft gets kidnapped and undergoes these tests before going on a mission when they could've just asked him to go on the mission.
Vonetta McGee is great value as the female lead and even more fun is Neda Arneric as a nymphomaniac who gives Frank Finlay head in the back of a limo, gets turned on by watching husky blacks on the side of the road, and is turned to good after a session in bed with Shaft.
Three's scenes in France and New York on top of Africa which gives everything a globe trotting feel - almost like James Bond. A good time at the movies if approached in the right spirit.
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