What is Shaft rated, and is it OK for kids?

Strong violence and frequent strong language. The R is earned, so not for kids.

Shaft (2000)

Film · 1h 39m · Rated R

Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller

A New York detective hunts a privileged killer, navigating a gritty underworld where justice is bought and sold.

Pulpy and high-octane. A full-attention watch at a brisk pace. Emotionally it carries some weight.

Streaming on Paramount+, Starz, Kanopy (free) and Hoopla (free).

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Shaft parents guide

Some innuendo or implied sex and strong violence, about what an R should carry.

Scare: Not scary
Jump scares: None noted
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Strong violence; Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity: Mild; Mild means innuendo, or sex implied off screen, with no nudity.
Language: Strong; Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Shaft scary?: No. Shaft is not a scary watch.
How gory is Shaft?: Light gore and strong violence.
What is Shaft rated, and is it OK for kids?: Strong violence and frequent strong language. The R is earned, so not for kids.

What is Shaft about?

New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence will get him acquitted -- especially since he's paid a drug kingpin to kill the witness.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

Yes. It lands on a happy note.