The Shaft

The Shaft (2001) Those of you expecting to see a movie about a cool black detective are in for a big disappointment. After watching the trailer, I was expecting a dull grade C haunted elevator movie but was pleasantly surprised at getting a professionally done B movie. There was actually an attempt to be true to its internal logic which is always appreciated in these types of movies. However, there were several gaping holes in the plot’s logic that you could drive an elevator through, but at least they tried.

Are people dying in the elevator system of a major New York City building because of shoddy construction, poor design, or could it be mad scientists at work or perhaps ghosts in the machine…..or could it be the devil? Is there a cover up by the building owner or the elevator company? Who is doing what to whom? At least they try to throw in some red herrings before you learn what is really going on. The movie comes with standard Mark I, B-movie dialogue and Mark II, B-movie acting. However there are some decent scenes that show some wit such as a bunch of pregnant women getting stuck in the elevator and all delivering by the time they get to the bottom floor. Dan Hedaya (Blood Simple) plays a police captain whose role should have been expanded. There are also several other veteran B movie character actors on hand to keep things rolling along. The movie has its ups and downs (sorry I couldn’t resist) and its share of interesting deaths by elevator and there is enough grue to keep most horror fans sated. This was shot before 9/11 and there are several shots of the twin towers and a reference to terrorists trying to blow it up that are a bit unnerving. The movie is rated R for: death by elevator falling, death by elevator rising, death by elevator ramming, death by elevator floor falling out, elevator decapitation, elevator sucking, elevator blowing, and for the general disrespect for authority by all the elevators in the movie.