Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” Review: A Thrilling Heist Movie with a Conscience
The 1959 Ed McBain crime novel “King’s Ransom” has been adapted into a film twice, with the latest version, “Highest 2 Lowest,” being a unique blend of Akira Kurosawa’s stern gravity and Spike Lee’s exuberant restlessness. This newest adaptation makes for a disarming hand-off, as Lee and debut feature screenwriter Alan Fox trade footwear for music, with Denzel Washington starring as a celebrated record label executive facing a kidnapping crisis.
The film’s narrative unfolds in a similar manner to Kurosawa’s 1963 version, “High and Low,” for about an hour. Music mogul David King (Washington) is struggling to keep his empire together, but the wry opening-credits sequence, featuring “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” accompanying elegant footage of King’s penthouse view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan, sets up a story of Black enterprise and the high cost of selling out. King’s business is music, and the film explores the consequences of cheapening a product, whether it’s shoes or songs, and how it affects the bottom line.
A Fresh Take on a Classic Story
“Highest 2 Lowest” follows the same route as “High and Low” until King drops the ransom money from a moving subway. Then, director Lee remaps the story, exploiting the music milieu in intriguing and unexpected ways. The film offers many rewards, many of them performance-based, with Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright delivering standout performances. The chemistry between Washington and Wright is undeniable, and their scenes together are pure pleasure to watch.
Washington gives King not just stature, but ripples of conflict and doubt, making him a complex and nuanced character. Wright, on the other hand, can take a simple line like “Am I being detained?” and turn it into a desperate cry for meaning. The film’s cinematography, handled by masterful cinematographer Matthew Libatique, scopes out the vibrant cityscape, from the Puerto Rican Day parade to the bustling streets of New York City.
A Stimulating Cry for Artistic Integrity
While “Highest 2 Lowest” may not be a model of conventional thriller suspense, it is a stimulating cry for “Black culture and artistic integrity,” as King puts it, and for the true value of a well-made commodity. The film’s themes of selling out and the importance of staying true to one’s art are timely and thought-provoking. With its unique blend of music, drama, and suspense, “Highest 2 Lowest” is a must-see for fans of Spike Lee and Denzel Washington.
The film has received a 3-star rating (out of 4) and has a runtime of 2:13. It is rated R for language throughout and brief drug use. “Highest 2 Lowest” premiered in theaters on August 15 and will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on September 5. For more information, visit Here
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