Striding down the middle of a rain-soaked New York City street, the tall man in a long, black coat moves confidently against on-coming traffic. Going against the tide this way is nothing new for Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), a fearless African-American police detective. Like his uncle before him, he sometimes breaks the rules to fight injustice --- whether it’s in the form of crime, corruption, or prejudice. His latest battle involves all three of these elements, plus a spoiled yuppie murderer.

The incredibly charismatic Jackson (Rules of Engagement) is a worthy successor to Richard Roundtree, who became a cultural icon after starring in the original Shaft in 1971 (and who appears as Jackson’s uncle in this current film). Projecting an impressive combination of attitude, intensity, and wit, Jackson takes charge of this role and makes it his own. Not quite the ladies’ man of his uncle’s reputation, the new John Shaft is more flippant and aggressive. Sleek as a panther and twice as deadly, he seldom misses his target. Even his words sting like bullets. When he arrests Walter Wade (Christian Bale from American Psycho), the son of a real estate mogul, the suspect asks indignantly, "Don’t you know who my father is?" Shaft shoots back, "No, do you?" He also has no qualms about insulting a powerful drug lord. After Peoples Hernandez (Basquiat’s Jeffrey Wright) brags about his Egyptian cotton suit, Shaft stuns him with, "You wouldn’t know Egyptian cotton if the Pharaoh himself delivered it to you."

Both Wade and Peoples are fascinating villains to watch. From backgrounds as far apart as the politics of Rush Limbaugh and Fidel Castro, they form an unlikely pair of conspirators. Bale plays racist killer Wade with a devilish silver-spoon smirk, and Wright gives an unforgettable performance as the mercurial Peoples --- even if his Dominican accent could use subtitles at times. Bound together by their desire to get back at Shaft, Wade wants Peoples to find and kill Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette), the only witness to his crime, while Peoples hopes Wade will lead him to "upscale" customers for his product.

Joining Wade and Peoples in their dastardly plans are two corrupt police officers (Dan Hedaya and Ruben Santiago-Hudson). Is it any wonder Shaft trusts no one except his loyal partner Carmen Vasquez (Vanessa Williams) and his helpful pal Rasaan (Busta Rhymes)? In Williams’ case, her limited time on camera is a crime in itself. Justice is not served by a lack of romance between this lonely-looking lady and the sexy Shaft. Although not a love interest either, Oscar-nominee Collette (The Sixth Sense) has the juiciest female role in Shaft. Her mesmerizing portrayal of a woman in constant fear ranks as one of the best supporting performances so far this year. It’s no surprise when her character elicits Shaft’s only tender reaction in the entire film. After Palmieri finally admits seeing Wade’s brutal beating of a young black man (Mekhi Phifer), the tough cop says to her, "These last two years must have been hell for you."

Fed-up with police force restrictions and the fallible justice system, Shaft decides to resign and work with his uncle as a private detective. (The franchise cometh?) "I’m too black for the blues and too blue for the brothers," he explains. As directed and co-written by John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood), the new Shaft still includes an overuse of "mf" expletives. It also raises those usual blaxploitation issues. Still, with an Armani-clad Jackson filling the leading role and that classic Shaft music in the background, this action-packed update should ensure Shaft’s popularity well into the new millennium.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated "R" for strong violence and language.)