Honestly, remaking a Kurosawa masterpiece is usually a suicide mission. Most directors who try it end up with something that feels like a cover band playing the Beatles—it's fine, but why bother? When word got out that Spike Lee was taking on High and Low, the 1963 classic about a shoe executive's moral collapse, the internet did what it does best: it cringed. People remembered the 2013 Oldboy remake and feared the worst.
But then something weird happened.
The movie, actually titled Highest 2 Lowest, dropped in 2025 and it didn't just work; it kind of slapped.
It turns out that Spike Lee and Denzel Washington together are basically the cinematic equivalent of Jordan and Pippen. This is their fifth time working together, and the first since Inside Man back in 2006. That’s a nearly twenty-year gap. You’d think they might have lost the rhythm, but no. They’ve swapped the polished floors of a Japanese shoe factory for the vibrating bass of a New York record label, and the result is a "Spike Lee Joint" that feels more alive than anything he's done in years.
The Twist You Didn’t See Coming: From Shoes to Spin
In the original Kurosawa flick, Toshiro Mifune plays Kingo Gondo, a guy obsessed with making high-quality boots while his greedy board members want to sell cheap trash. In Highest 2 Lowest, Denzel becomes David King. He’s a music mogul—the founder of "Stackin’ Hits Records"—and he’s got the "best ears in the business."
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He’s also broke. Well, "rich-man broke."
King has liquidated every single asset he owns—his Dumbo penthouse, his Basquiat paintings, his pride—to buy back his label and stop a corporate takeover. He’s about to sign the check when the phone rings. A kidnapper says they have his son, Trey.
Here is the kicker, and it's where the movie gets its name. The kidnapper grabbed the wrong kid.
Instead of Trey, they snatched Kyle, the son of David’s driver, Paul (played by a phenomenal Jeffrey Wright). The ransom is $17.5 million. If David pays it, he loses his company and goes into the "lowest" financial gutter. If he doesn't, a kid dies. It’s a brutal, nasty moral trap that Lee uses to poke at the ribs of Black capitalism and modern "clout" culture.
Why the "Spike Lee High and Low" Isn't Just a Carbon Copy
A lot of people expected a beat-for-beat remake. Lee isn't that boring.
The first half of the film is almost claustrophobic. It’s mostly set in that high-end Brooklyn penthouse. You've got Denzel pacing around, sweating, arguing with his wife Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera). It feels like a stage play. Some critics actually hated this part. They called it "stodgy" or "static." But look closer.
Lee uses this stillness to show how isolated the "High" really are. David King is literally looking down on the projects where he grew up, and he’s forgotten how to speak the language of the streets.
Then the second half hits, and the movie basically explodes.
Once the ransom drop happens—which involves a wild sequence with a New York City subway and a Puerto Rican Day Parade—the camera stops being polite. We get the classic Spike Lee "double dolly" shots. We get the vibrant, saturated colors. We get A$AP Rocky as "Yung Felon," the kidnapper who represents everything David hates about the new generation of music.
What People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s been a lot of talk about how the movie handles the villain. Unlike the 1963 version, where the kidnapper is a shadowy figure driven by pure envy, Yung Felon is a product of the "attention economy."
Basically, he doesn't just want the money. He wants the fame.
He wants to be signed to David’s label. There's a meta-layer here that's kind of genius: a kid so desperate for a seat at the table that he’ll burn the whole house down to get noticed. Some viewers found this "corny," but honestly? In 2026, where people do anything for a viral clip, it feels uncomfortably real.
The Cast: Not Just a Denzel Show
While Denzel is doing his "Oscar-caliber" thing (and yeah, he'll probably win), the supporting cast is what keeps the movie grounded.
- Jeffrey Wright: As the driver, Paul, he is the heart of the film. There’s an improvised scene where he pleads for his son’s life that will leave you absolutely gutted.
- Ice Spice: This was her acting debut. Most people expected a cameo, but she actually holds her own as a rising star David is trying to scout.
- A$AP Rocky: He plays the villain with a chilling, detached vibe. He’s not a mustache-twirling bad guy; he’s just a guy who thinks the world owes him a platform.
Is It Better Than the Original?
That’s the wrong question.
Kurosawa’s High and Low is a perfect procedural. Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest is a messy, loud, opinionated treatise on New York, race, and what happens when you "make it" but lose your soul. It’s got weird pacing. The orchestral score by Howard Drossin is almost too loud at times. It’s definitely a bit long at 133 minutes.
But it’s got juice.
It’s a movie that actually has something to say about 2026. It talks about "Ebony Alerts" (something the movie has to explain to the cops, and the audience, which is a classic Spike move). It talks about how social media has turned empathy into a currency.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Watch
If you're planning to catch this on Apple TV+ or find a screening, here is how to actually enjoy the experience without getting hung up on the "remake" baggage:
- Watch the 1963 original first. Seriously. It’s on Criterion. Seeing how Lee mirrors the shots—and where he intentionally breaks away—makes the experience 10x better.
- Pay attention to the art. The paintings in David King’s apartment aren't just props. They are real works by Black contemporary artists that represent the "high" culture David is trying to protect.
- Listen to the soundtrack. A$AP Rocky didn't just act; he contributed tracks like "Both Eyes Closed" that actually move the plot forward.
- Ignore the "it's too slow" complaints. The slow first hour is intentional. It’s supposed to make you feel as trapped as David is.
Spike Lee proved that he’s not a "relic" yet. He took a Japanese classic and made it feel like it was born in the Bronx. Whether you love the "Spike-isms" or find them annoying, you can't deny that Highest 2 Lowest is the most interesting thing to happen to the crime thriller genre in a long time.
Go watch it for the Denzel/Jeffrey Wright face-off alone. It's worth the price of admission.
Next Steps for Film Buffs
- Stream Highest 2 Lowest on Apple TV+ to see the cinematography of Matthew Libatique in 4K.
- Compare the "train drop" scene in Lee's version to Kurosawa's original to see a masterclass in modernizing tension.
- Look up the history of "King's Ransom," the Ed McBain novel that started it all, to see how the story has evolved through three different cultures.