Movie Review: Highest 2 Lowest Is a Spike Lee Joint by an Akira Kurosawa Fan
Briefly

Akira Kurosawa's film High and Low, a key work in cinema history, illustrates the impacts of inequality through its noir influences and strong performances, particularly by Toshiro Mifune. Spike Lee's 2025 adaptation, Highest 2 Lowest, features Denzel Washington and offers a different take on the story, transforming character backgrounds and plot points. Although it's a quality summer film, it lacks the deep thematic resonance found in Kurosawa's original. Both films hold unique interpretations that can be enjoyed independently without detracting from the experience of each.
High and Low, a film by Akira Kurosawa, is a noir and social realist examination of inequality, wowing audiences with its depth and storytelling.
Spike Lee's adaptation, Highest 2 Lowest, featuring Denzel Washington, is entertaining but doesn't reach the same heights as Kurosawa's masterpiece.
The characters and plot elements in both films provide enjoyment, with distinct enough differences that watching the original does not spoil the remake.
While Highest 2 Lowest pays homage to Kurosawa's work, it lacks the anxiety and depth characteristic of High and Low.
Read at Portland Mercury
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