This pseudo blaxploitation movie is better than I thought it would be. (I say "pseudo" because FRED WILLIAMSON is the only major black character - - just about everyone else is either Oriental or caucasian).
Williamson plays Jefferson Bolt, a freelance courier who will transport anything anywhere in the world - - for the right price.
He gets hired to carry a briefcase full of money from Hong Kong to Los Angeles to Mexico City. Along the way, he runs into crosses, double crosses, and triple crosses, and ends up in car chases, shootouts, and martial arts battles.
Of course the plot is very basic, Williamson's acting is 3rd rate, and the dialogue is typical "tough guy" talk and wisecracks, but the movie is never boring and is a lot of fun to watch.
Recommended for a mindless Saturday night viewing.
I paid less than $10 for this DVD (widescreen, too!) and it is worth the money.
Think they were trying captialize on Shaft? I can see some guys brainstorming for a one syllable name for the main character.
"How about Crank?"
"Too much like Shaft"
"How about Screw?"
"Nah!"
"Nut?"
"Bolt, that's the ticket!"
Now that you mention it, didn't a few other blaxploitation movies also try to capitalize on the "SHAFT" name? The most obvious examples are:
* SLAUGHTER
* SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF (which has a title VERY similar to SHAFT'S BIG SCORE . . . not to mention BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE . . . wait a minute, how did THAT movie get in here?)
Dammit . . . the movie indistry is one big scam! I SHALL NEVER WATCH ANOTHER MOVIE (until I get home from work tonight).
Sounds really fun!