by Josh Sewell
Spike Lee is one of our greatest living filmmakers, so any new work from the man is required viewing. Still, when I heard he was tackling a modern retelling of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low, it made me nervous. That movie is a literal masterpiece, so it seems like it would be a fool’s errand to adapt. (Especially when you consider Lee’s version of Oldboy – yikes.)
Nevertheless, the genius who made Do the Right Thing has never been one to back down from a challenge, and he has a not-so-secret weapon in living legend Denzel Washington. The pair made some of the 20th century’s best films (including the incredible Malcolm X), so it’s thrilling to see them reunite for the first time since 2006’s Inside Man. Their latest partnership, Highest 2 Lowest, proves they haven’t missed a step in the last 19 years. Although it doesn’t work as well as the original, the high-stakes thriller proves to be a compelling watch.
Highest 2 Lowest (which, like Kurosawa’s film, is loosely based on Ed McBain’s 1959 novel King’s Ransom) centers on music mogul David King (Denzel Washington), who is on the verge of taking over his company from its shareholders. However, just as he comes up with the cash necessary to make the deal, he learns that his son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) has been abducted.
The kidnappers want $17.5 million for Trey’s safe return, which means King must choose between his family and the future of his business. As he and the cops are preparing to make the deal, a complication arises – they learn the captors grabbed Trey’s friend Kyle (Elijah Wright), the son of King’s longtime driver and confidant Paul (Jeffrey Wright), instead. Once the bad guys realize their mistake, they tell King they want the money anyway. If he says no and uses the money to save his flailing business, his friend’s kid dies.
The basic premise of Highest 2 Lowest is essentially the same as its predecessor, but the film works best when Lee deviates from the source material in the second half. That’s when he lets Washington (phenomenal as always) and Wright (worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination) off the leash and lets them do their thing.
Where Kurosawa’s film dwells on the cynicism of post-WWII Japan’s ultra-capitalistic mindset (particularly in its chilling final scene), Lee instead focuses on Black excellence and the desire to preserve the family unit – cost be damned. Every frame of the movie is packed with the director’s dazzling visual trademarks, from disorienting jump cuts in the first act to characters talking directly to the camera at pivotal moments.
The most remarkable sequence in Highest 2 Lowest is the money exchange, which Lee lifts directly from High and Low, swapping out the Japanese train system for New York City’s subway during the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. His use of handheld cameras and erratic editing, particularly in a car chase involving a loathsome cop (played by terrific character actor Dean Winters), makes the film worth seeing on the big screen.
The movie’s other strong suits are Howard Drossin’s powerful score and Matthew Libatique’s gorgeous cinematography. They give the story an epic feel, even when the scene is just two people talking in a room. Even more surprising, Highest 2 Lowest transforms into a genuine musical in the final scene (foreshadowed by “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” from Oklahoma! playing during the opening credits), with a goosebump-inducing performance from Aiyana-Lee Anderson.
It’s too bad Highest 2 Lowest grinds to a halt any time Ilfenesh Hadera appears. The actress is a frequent Lee collaborator, although I’m not sure why. She plays the wife of Washington’s character, which means she’s present for a vast majority of the film’s most emotional sequences. I always feel like a jerk when I criticize an actor’s performance, but her stilted delivery is no match for Washington’s powerhouse work. Simply put, I could never buy her as an influential presence in David King’s world.
That’s the biggest error in an otherwise compelling film. Even though Highest 2 Lowest is going to hit Apple TV+ next month, I strongly recommend seeking it out on the big screen. Despite its minor flaws, the film is still an engaging watch.
Highest 2 Lowest is rated R for language throughout and brief drug use. Opens in Atlanta area theaters on August 15 and available on Apple TV+ starting September 5.
Grade: B
Nevertheless, the genius who made Do the Right Thing has never been one to back down from a challenge, and he has a not-so-secret weapon in living legend Denzel Washington. The pair made some of the 20th century’s best films (including the incredible Malcolm X), so it’s thrilling to see them reunite for the first time since 2006’s Inside Man. Their latest partnership, Highest 2 Lowest, proves they haven’t missed a step in the last 19 years. Although it doesn’t work as well as the original, the high-stakes thriller proves to be a compelling watch.
Highest 2 Lowest (which, like Kurosawa’s film, is loosely based on Ed McBain’s 1959 novel King’s Ransom) centers on music mogul David King (Denzel Washington), who is on the verge of taking over his company from its shareholders. However, just as he comes up with the cash necessary to make the deal, he learns that his son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) has been abducted.
The kidnappers want $17.5 million for Trey’s safe return, which means King must choose between his family and the future of his business. As he and the cops are preparing to make the deal, a complication arises – they learn the captors grabbed Trey’s friend Kyle (Elijah Wright), the son of King’s longtime driver and confidant Paul (Jeffrey Wright), instead. Once the bad guys realize their mistake, they tell King they want the money anyway. If he says no and uses the money to save his flailing business, his friend’s kid dies.
The basic premise of Highest 2 Lowest is essentially the same as its predecessor, but the film works best when Lee deviates from the source material in the second half. That’s when he lets Washington (phenomenal as always) and Wright (worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination) off the leash and lets them do their thing.
Where Kurosawa’s film dwells on the cynicism of post-WWII Japan’s ultra-capitalistic mindset (particularly in its chilling final scene), Lee instead focuses on Black excellence and the desire to preserve the family unit – cost be damned. Every frame of the movie is packed with the director’s dazzling visual trademarks, from disorienting jump cuts in the first act to characters talking directly to the camera at pivotal moments.
The most remarkable sequence in Highest 2 Lowest is the money exchange, which Lee lifts directly from High and Low, swapping out the Japanese train system for New York City’s subway during the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. His use of handheld cameras and erratic editing, particularly in a car chase involving a loathsome cop (played by terrific character actor Dean Winters), makes the film worth seeing on the big screen.
The movie’s other strong suits are Howard Drossin’s powerful score and Matthew Libatique’s gorgeous cinematography. They give the story an epic feel, even when the scene is just two people talking in a room. Even more surprising, Highest 2 Lowest transforms into a genuine musical in the final scene (foreshadowed by “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” from Oklahoma! playing during the opening credits), with a goosebump-inducing performance from Aiyana-Lee Anderson.
It’s too bad Highest 2 Lowest grinds to a halt any time Ilfenesh Hadera appears. The actress is a frequent Lee collaborator, although I’m not sure why. She plays the wife of Washington’s character, which means she’s present for a vast majority of the film’s most emotional sequences. I always feel like a jerk when I criticize an actor’s performance, but her stilted delivery is no match for Washington’s powerhouse work. Simply put, I could never buy her as an influential presence in David King’s world.
That’s the biggest error in an otherwise compelling film. Even though Highest 2 Lowest is going to hit Apple TV+ next month, I strongly recommend seeking it out on the big screen. Despite its minor flaws, the film is still an engaging watch.
Highest 2 Lowest is rated R for language throughout and brief drug use. Opens in Atlanta area theaters on August 15 and available on Apple TV+ starting September 5.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com or on BlueSky @joshsewell.bsky.social
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