Shaft is the man! This is a great blaxploitation film with good acting and lots of action. A private investigator is hired by a black gangster to find his daughter who was kidnapped by Italian gangsters. The first half of the film is Shaft getting shot at and trying to figure out why, and the second half is him rescuing the girl. Lots of people get shot, and even Shaft, but he pulls through and is the hero. A very good film.

Private Detective John Shaft is the epitome of the cool black man in '70s New York; he dresses sharply, the women love him, he talks the talk and is good in a fight. As the film opens he learns that two men working for a Harlem gangster are looking for him. When they find him the ensuing fight leaves one of them dead and the police taking a distinct interest. It later emerges that the gangster wanted Shaft for a job; his daughter has been kidnapped and he wants her returned with no police involvement. It emerges that the gangster has upset the mafia and tensions are rising fast, leading the police to fear racial violence on the streets of New York.

This film is historically important because of the fact that it has a black hero who success, respected by most of those he deals with; both black and white... that might seem no big deal now but this was made in a very different era. Watching now, in an era when the idea of a strong black lead is more common, the story is still enjoyable. Richard Roundtree really impresses in the title role; making Shaft a believable and likeable character. The rest of the cast are pretty solid too. The story plays out well although the ending could have been better. The sense of realism is helped by the way the film captures the feel of '70s New York; the fact that it is set in winter and you can see characters' breath when they are outside just adds to the atmosphere. Overall I'd say this is definitely one to watch if you are a fan of gritty '70s crime drama.