alexanderdavies-99382 The 1971 film of "Shaft" helped to save "M.G.M" from facing bankruptcy, so naturally they commissioned a follow-up movie. Titled "Shafts Big Score" and released in 1972, the plot is what defeats this film. The scenes look as though they were hastily thrown together with no sense of continuity. I could hardly decipher what was happening from one scene to the next and I know I'm not alone here. The action scenes aren't bad but they can't compensate for a narrative that is very weak in its structure. For some reason which is only known to a handful of people, a further "Shaft" film was made!

Leofwine_draca Here's an entertaining follow-up to SHAFT, which, while lacking that film's originality and/or classic status, still proves to be worthwhile viewing for the masses - and perhaps a little more obscure than it ought to be. Okay, so I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one because perhaps the novelty of a streetwise wise-cracking black detective has gone, but the film still puts across the same gritty atmosphere of life on the street. This is a film of violence, with characters being bloodily beaten at regular intervals, and bullet hits which make their victims darned near explode.Once again Richard Roundtree reprises his role of the irrepressible John Shaft, this time battling double-crossing criminals and the underworld in his search for revenge for the murder of an old friend. Roundtree is replete with his cheesy one-liners as he fights racism in the police bureau and battles bad guys on the street. There's also a stash of loot hidden somewhere inside a graveyard and lots of differing factions who want a cut for themselves. The supporting cast of violent villains is a great one, with many familiar faces in the cast including the metal-armed killer from LIVE AND LET DIE.Speaking of Bond, there are some definite influences from that series on this film, and it's not trying to be as realistic as the first - just entertaining. The smack-bang over-the-top finale sees a huge chase involving cars, a speedboat, and a helicopter and is packed with impressive stunts, bloody squib hits, and the bangs of guns and screech of tyres. Well filmed and wildly entertaining, this is the highlight of the movie for me. It may be no classic but SHAFT'S BIG SCORE! is an enjoyable thriller with a very likable leading character.

JasparLamarCrabb Let's face it, the great thing about SHAFT was the fact that Richard Roundtree represented a new, ultra hip inner city private eye. With that novelty gone, this sequel turns out to be a fairly pedestrian crime thriller. Despite decent direction by Gordon Parks and a script by Ernest Tidyman, there's nothing new or particularly exciting here. Roundtree is fine and the supporting cast features a mixed bag of character actors: Drew Bundini Brown; Julius Harris; Joe Santos; Wally Taylor. Joseph Mascolo plays the villain, a pretentious fop who makes shrimp Newberg and plays the piccolo. There is an exciting, if protracted, chase sequence involving cars, a boat and a helicopter. The music, which is good, is mostly by Parks himself. Moses Gunn plays "Bumpy."

Infofreak I'm not sure what went wrong with this sequel to 'Shaft'. Once again Gordon Parks directs, Ernest Tidyman writes and Richard Roundtree stars, but there's something missing. It isn't anywhere near as entertaining as the original and the story is very thin and padded out. The score isn't as good either. Isaac Hayes only contributes one number, Parks himself does the rest. Moses Gunn and Drew Bundini Brown reprise their roles as Bumpy and Willy and blaxploitation fave Julius W. Harris ('Superfly', 'Black Caesar') appears as a cop who forms an uneasy alliance of sorts with Shaft. Also check out future soap star Joseph Mascolo as a clarinet playing mobster called, er, Mascolo and Joe Santos later of 'The Rockford Files' as his right hand man. Richard Roundtree is still super cool as John Shaft and he helps make this movie to be fairly enjoyable. Personally I prefer the third in the series 'Shaft In Africa' to this, but if the truth be told neither sequel is a patch on the original which in an undisputed blaxploitation classic and essential viewing for any 70s buff.