Frank Finlay, Richard Roundtree, Vonetta McGee

The second sequel to the hit Shaft, this film foreshadows itself early on when Shaft, asked to go undercover in Africa to halt modern-day slave trade, claims that he's not James Bond but strict...( read more  read more... )ly Sam Spade. Bond, however, is the operative model here, with John Shaft masquerading as an Ethiopian to infiltrate the slave business and bring it down. Yet everyone he encounters seems to know who he is and wants to kill him--but the string of dead bodies he leaves in his wake across two continents proves that no one is able to stop everyone's favorite hip private eye. Written by Stirling Silliphant, the film is long on action set pieces that are filmed with more energy than in Shaft's Big Score. Given contemporary practices involving smugglers of illegal Chinese and Mexican immigrants, the plot isn't all that far-fetched. Roundtree, as usual, is the picture of unflappable cool--but don't get him mad. --Marshall Fine

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49% liked it

451 ratings

R, 111 min.

Directed by: John Guillermin

Release Date: June 14, 1973

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DVD Release Date: June 6, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (110)


  • October 17, 2009
    The ever-cool Richard Roundtree, who along with the equally awesome John Saxon has played more cops than any other actor alive, makes his third appearance as John Shaft, the super-tough, super-smooth, oh-so-hot black private dick who's a sex machine to all the chicks and a most g...( read more)narly guy who's always getting into loads of trouble. This time our main man Shaft -- the ultimate bad-a** soul brother from the Big Apple hood -- goes to the motherland (that's Africa, homeys) so he can get the goods on an evil black slavery ring that's run by -- natch -- an odious bunch of wicked white b**tards, with the Major Nasty Man himself being suavely slimy French dirt-bag Frank Finley. Like, can you dig this funky s**t, baby? Well, frankly I totally dug this simply fantastic and wonderfully outrageous globe-trotting action/adventure treat.

    John Guillerman's briskly efficient direction keeps the rousing zesty momentum humming along throughout, the action scenes are suitably rough, strenuous, exciting and dynamically staged (the stick fights in particular are the genuine happening article), there's a welcome sense of wryly self-deprecating humor (a male assassin in drag tries to plug Shaft in an airport bathroom!), the dialogue sporadically offers a few profanity-laced slangy zingers ("Baby this may blow your mind, but I don't want to [*very naughty word deleted*] you?") and the snappy pace never lets up for a minute, thereby ensuring that "Shaft in Africa" races towards a thrilling conclusion with terrifically steady and unwavering headlong brio. Moreover, the luscious Vonetta McGee lends her fetching, captivating presence as a foxy young African princess who helps Shaft out, Johnny Pate's intensely groovy wah-wah guitar-ripping score is very easy on the ears, the ever-wondrous and under-appreciated Frank McRae pops up in an amusing minor part as a bothersome henchman, the African scenery's gorgeous, Roundtree carries himself with his customary extremely watchable and winningly easy'n'breezy off-handed grace, and -- hubba! hubba! -- the tiny, adorable, curvaceous blonde looker Neda Arneric will definitely raise the blood pressure of any red-blooded heterosexual male with her smoking hot portrayal of Finley's sensuous, sex-starved main squeeze (Arneric's steamy seduction sequence with Shaft is so incredibly sexy and arousing that it nearly melted my DVD player). A hugely satisfying and immensely stirring final filmic fling for blaxploitation cinema's single most engaging and significant take-charge man's man rugged individualist protagonist.
  • November 4, 2009
    Shafts third adventure and the plot wouldn't look out of place in a Tintin story, albeit with a much higher body count (if you're a baddy, you're gonna die. Soon). Plus a good ten minutes of gratutious nudity as Shaft gets his kit off to demonstrate his stick fighting skills . Bu...( read more)t despite these (because of these?) flaws, it's still one entertaining film, largely thanks to Richard Roundtree's natural on-screen charisma and a heap of pretty tunes from the Johnny Pate + The Temptations soundtrack.
  • March 17, 2009
    Richard is a much sexier Shaft.
  • February 17, 2009
    I got this on a lark but i have to say it is actually a really good film, give it a try
  • November 26, 2008
    By far the best Shaft movie!
  • August 28, 2008
    John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) goes undercover in Africa to put a stop to a modern-day slave trade.

    This is Richard Roundtree's last theatrical appearance as Shaft until the 2000 version where Samuel L. Jackson takes the lead role.

    Also stars Vonetta McGee and Frank Finlay.
  • July 20, 2008
    This movie is a damn joke but so funny. I don't know how this film could've been made in earnest.
  • December 6, 2007
    Shaft travels to Africa to take down a ring of slave traders. He's still one bad mofo especially when you mess w/ his dog

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Shaft in Africa Trivia


  • Which actor played John Shaft in :Shaft,Shaft's Big score and Shaft in Africa  Answer »
  • There were two sequels to “Shaft”starring Richard Roundtree. One was “Shaft’s Big Score”. What was the other one?  Answer »

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