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.
Samuel L. Jackson
as John Shaft
Vanessa Williams
as Carmen Vasquez
Jeffrey Wright
as Peoples Hernandez
Christian Bale
as Walter Wade, Jr.
Busta Rhymes
as Rasaan
Dan Hedaya
as Jack Roselli
Toni Collette
as Diane Palmieri
Richard Roundtree
as "Uncle" John Shaft
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
as Jimmy Groves
Josef Sommer
as Curt Flemming
Lynne Thigpen
as Carla Howard
Philip Bosco
as Walter Wade Senior
