Highest 2 Lowest marks the fifth time Denzel Washington and Spike Lee have teamed up. This time, Lee decided to reinterpret Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 procedural thriller High and Low, which was based on Ed McBain‘s novel, King’s Ransom. Lee shifts the focus from a Tokyo shoe executive to a music mogul in modern-day NYC. The movie opens with a dramatic aerial shot of Manhattan, accompanied by ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ from the musical Oklahoma!. It’s not quite the tune I anticipated, and this sets the stage for even more dramatic tonal shifts ahead.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s camera then zooms Denzel’s David King’s luxury penthouse overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. He’s on top of the world, both literally and figuratively, as he attempts to buy back shares of his record label, Stackin’ Hits. This is something David hasn’t discussed with his beautiful young wife Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera), who is dismayed she has to postpone her donation to a city museum where she serves as co-chair. They remain cordial despite their differences, but there is some tension between David and his son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), who has been urging his dad to listen to a demo from an artist he strongly believes in.
David drops Trey off at basketball practice with his friend Kyle (Elijah Wright), who happens to be the son of his chauffeur and longtime confidant, Paul (Jeffrey Wright). David heads to a business meeting with board member Patrick (Michael Potts). The meeting appears to drag on, but the gist of it is that David wants to take back control since he strongly disagrees with the sale to a music conglomerate that produces AI music. It takes just a single phone call that brings David’s life to a crashing halt. Trey has been kidnapped, and the unknown caller demands $17.5 million. Naturally, a father would go to any lengths to rescue his son, but things get trickier when the kidnapper mistakenly takes Kyle instead. This raises a moral question: should King give up his riches for another person’s child?
This setup seems ideal for an interesting take on the haves and the have-nots, as the title implies, yet what we actually observe is more about the protagonist’s affluent lifestyle. The exhibition of wealth is quite extravagant, with Lee’s own art collection—or replicas of it—showcased prominently in David’s lavish home. Lee also manages to weave in his political perspective, as a print of the Kamala Harris FORWARD poster is displayed in Trey’s bedroom. Clearly, a film can serve as an extension of the filmmaker’s enthusiasm, and this serves as Lee’s love song to NYC and its vibrant culture and people. The primary chase scene unfolds against the backdrop of Puerto Rican Day festivities with live music, as well as an extended subway segment featuring a group of Yankees fans.
While all that is fun, the movie’s emotional impact feels pretty flat. I was hoping for a rollercoaster of emotion considering the stakes, but that just isn’t the case. The procedural elements lack excitement and are often unintentionally humorous. It’s strange to see Dean Winters, the Allstate Insurance ‘Mayhem’ guy, cast here, and somehow they made him even more irritating.
But the biggest blunder of all, ironically, is the music. A fantastic score can really lift a film, but it can also be so terrible that it ruins it. I’ve never heard of composer Howard Drossin, and while his piano-driven score might seem fine on its own, here it feels excessive, dragging on and on during crucial dialogue. Considering Stackin’ Hits champions Black music, it’d be great to hear something jazzy or a track with some nice beats. At times, it sounds like easy-listening elevator music or worse, as my husband put it, the kind of tunes you have to endure while waiting on hold. David is often referred to as having ‘the best ears in the business.’ I really wish someone with even a fraction of his skill were part of the movie’s scoring.
I have to admit, I expected more from a seasoned director like Lee, but some of the scene setups feel amateurish, with poor pacing and editing. Denzel is always engaging to watch, but Alan Fox’s script doesn’t really show David as an intriguing character beneath his cool facade. It’s a bit of an issue when, halfway through, I found him way more captivating in The Equalizer movies. This is definitely Denzel’s film, but I wish Wright had more screen time and that Paul’s character had been developed further. The performances from the rest of the supporting cast are inconsistent, which is a stark contrast to the caliber of the two veteran actors.
Meanwhile, A$ap Rocky steals the show as an ambitious rapper who looks up to David and keeps tabs on him through social media. His monologue near the end delivers the much-needed energy and emotional impact that the film is lacking. In the end, I find myself a bit puzzled about why Lee decided to remake Kurosawa’s film in this way. There’s even a scene that looks like an American Idol audition towards the end. Overall, this one feels more like a personal project focused on his interests rather than crafting a film with a tight story.
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I still want to see this just to see how Spike reinterpret Kurosawa as that film was more of a study of social classes with its first half set in the posh building and it second half set in the poor side. That is why the film is so revered.
I still need to see Kurosawa’s version, which sounds like it really was a study of social classes. This one is not so much, as the posh part is way more focused than the poor side. I mean, the ‘wealth porn,’ as people might say, is overwhelming.
What makes. A good critic, I never listen to them, if I did I would have missed so many movies. I make up my own mind, so many gullible and naive pple rely on what the critics say. Unfortunately won’t be a victim of that. As a being I am always finding something in spikes movie that resonates with me for a very long time. So many movies fly over my head and forgotten in days. Peace out
You still have a lot to learn.
Dont need to learn from critics I have been around for over 60 years , make my own mind and enjoy the movies I want to see . Some I like and some I dont . By the way its an interpretation of the movie not a remake -dont you all get it . Thats Spike take according to him , people should stop comparing both movies.
You really don’t get it.
I agree and very well said. I saw the movie and enjoyed it. I don’t understand the uproar. I don’t listen to movie critics either. I like to make my own decisions.
Film criticism is all about analyzing and evaluating movies, going beyond just saying if a film is good or bad. It’s about figuring out what a film means and looking at its artistic and technical aspects, like cinematography and sound. Every critic has their own preferences and standards for what they consider a good film, and naturally, some of those opinions can be subjective.
Regarding Highest 2 Lowest, I mentioned earlier that it’s a reinterpretation of Kurosawa’s film, which itself was based on a novel. My review isn’t a direct comparison between the two; I’m judging Lee’s film on its own strengths and weaknesses.
In any case, yes, everyone has the right to form their own opinions, and as a film critic, I too have the liberty to critique films in my own way.
Cheers!
I rewatched High and Low over the weekend since I haven’t seen it in a long time. And it’s still a near masterpiece. I won’t be able to see this remake until next month since I’m waiting for it to hit Apple TV+.
I saw the trailer of High and Low after seeing this, but haven’t got around to watching the film. Don’t expect another masterpiece with this one, in fact, it’s far from it.
Well, remember you asked why no one talks about this remake when you posted your trailer features a couple of weeks ago? Now you go your answer. Lol! A lot of people who saw the advanced screening didn’t like it either and the rating on IMDB is quite low compare to the original film. I think that’s why Apple decided to not spend any money on marketing this one and just dump it in limited theaters.
I’m actually going to see it this weekend, I saw that it is playing at Marcus Westend theater and going to the matinee show. It’s only $10 and I really want to see it. I don’t expect it to be as good as the original but I hope Lee does something different with his version. His mistake on Oldboy was that he did a shot for shot remake of the original film.
The original High and Low is playing on HBO Max, heck I believe most of Kurosawa’s films are currently streaming on that app. I can’t recommend it enough. He really set standards for crime thrillers. You’ll see all of the styles and story structure he created in that film and all filmmakers copied his style ever since.
People keep talking about old boy, yes not as good as the original but deserves some credit. I like it, how many remakes are better than the original. Very few I can say, I know we, always compare but I did like Spikes spin on the remake of oldl boy
I enjoyed the movie. The humor and sound tracks were great. The views of new york were awesome
the morals, integrity, family first was a good message displayed
Actually, no one really talks about Lee’s remake of Oldboy because it tanked so badly in theaters and was widely hated by most people. I didn’t mind it but I wish he did something different with the film. It was basically a shot for shot remake.
Hey Ted! Yeah, I can see why other studios passed on this one now and only Apple is willing to take it, probably more because of its pedigree than the actual product.
Let me know what you think after you see it. I never saw Oldboy, I read that it’s violent and not for the squeamish, so definitely not for me, ahah.
I’m hoping to see High and Low by the end of the year! I mean, I need to see more of Kurosawa’s films in general.
I just saw it a couple of hours ago and thought it was great! It’s probably one of my top 3 favorite movies that I saw this year. I agree about the score of the film. I wonder if Howard Drossin is a good friends of Lee. He tends to have great scores in his other films but the score felt out of place in a lot scenes. Also, the singing at the end went way too long, again I wonder if the singer is a friend of Lee and he’s trying to make her famous.
But besides those two qualms, this is the type of remake that I wanted to see. He kept the spirit of the original but made it his into his old film. Just like what Scorsese did with The Departed, he kept the concept but made it to fit the western culture.
I’ve heard High and Low described as one of the most influential films of all time. Haven’t seen it but wouldn’t it make an interesting night for a double feature with this remake.
I don’t know if I want to see this one again (that score is painful to my ears!) but I’m definitely up for seeing the original Kurosawa film one day.
Interesting remake! Music can make or break a film. Especially a movie about music!
Yeah! Bad music is just unpleasant in any movie but it’s more unacceptable when the theme IS music!! I kept wondering, is Jon Batiste or Kris Bowers not available for this one? 😆
The final scene, in which Denzel’s character (David) auditions the singer his son has recommended, falls flat. The vocalist, a cliched light skinned, svelte female, has a pleasant voice but a limited range. And her composition lacks a catchy hook, so I wasn’t wowed as was David’s family. I loved the tension of the film’s premise and the scenes with Washington and Jeffrey Wright.
Hi Steve, welcome to FC! Yeah, that audition is the one I was referring to that looks like something from American Idol. It went on unnecessarily long and ultimately doesn’t add much to the story. I’m not as impressed by her vocally either, and the scenes between Washington + Wright are a highlight to be sure.
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Too bad, but I will watch it one night, when it streams for free. Although I’m afraid of the music. It might put me to sleep.
I’m a Denzel fan, and a Lee fan, which is why I’ll watch it.
Dean Winters? Will I at least get an irritated laugh here?
Thank you, Ruth! xx
If you like Denzel and Lee, I think it’s worth a watch. The music is REALLY bad and distracting, which is too bad as it’s about music! I was like, were Jon Batiste or Kris Bower not available?? The movie is all about Black excellence and Black music, but the music doesn’t reflect that.
Yeah, Dean Winters is annoying here and in those commercials, ugh!
P.S. Just making sure you saw my comment 😉 https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2025/08/23/the-unicorn-the-sprite/#comment-64473
Thank you, Ruth! At least I’m consistent at missing comments. SIGH!
Dean Winters, lol, he sure gets a lot of work. Maybe that’s his ticket, his claim to fame – the “Annoying Guy”
The wrong music can really bring down a movie, just like great music can elevate a movie. I’ll watch it anyway, but I’m already cringing.
Hugs! xoxox
Good thing you sent the missed comment link. Turned out there were 5 or 5 I missed! xxxxx
Ahah, no biggie… just wanted to let you know 🙂
❦🌟🌹
😘🤗
xx🌟
Great reviews as always Ruth. A shame you didn’t care much for this one. I was really looking forward to seeing it. I am a huge fan of Denzel Washington and love the movies he has made with Spike Lee. They have always made for a great director-actor team. I loved “Malcolm X” the most. So, it is truly surprising to see this didn’t work out. I will still see it simply because I am such a huge fan of Denzel who hasn’t made a great film in years. But I will try to keep my expectations low.
Here’s a list of my favourite Denzel Washington films of all-time:
Hey Huilahi! That’s a great list of Denzel movies, he’s truly one of the best actors of this generation. I thought he was great in The Tragedy of Macbeth and even the so-so 2 Guns was watchable because of him.
Now, though I didn’t give this one a high mark because of the reasons I mentioned (especially the awful music), I still recommend you to see it for Denzel and Jeffrey Wright.
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