Highest 2 Lowest (Digital)

When looking back at the career of Spike Lee, he usually leaves an impression. Not all his films are my cup of tea, but I have enjoyed more of them than I haven’t. It hasn’t been since 2006’s Inside Man that Denzel Washington and Spike Lee worked together, but thankfully they have joined to create a very solid and memorable film. It has been given a limited theatrical release before coming to a streaming service, but it truly is a film to be seen on the big screen as the cinematography alone is only heightened by the big screen. It is a modern update on the Akira Kurosawa film and adaptation of the 1959 novel. I cannot speak of the comparisons as I have neither read the novel nor seen the original film, but it certainly left an impression on me.

Denzel Washington stars as David, he is head of a record company, but as we learn throughout the film is that the company may be on the verge of selling to a rival label. He is married to Pam (Iifenesh Hardera) and has a son named Trey (Aubrey Joseph). The film makes its point of showing how David spends his days. There is a sort of hurried feeling to it. His son is on the basketball team, but David can’t always find the time to watch him, and he’s constantly stopped by people wanting to show off their musical talents or various other things. To say that I wasn’t sure just where this film was headed would be an understatement. But I also have been deliberately trying to go more blind to a lot of films. I find the experience to be more rewarding when I know less. If you are one of those viewers too, maybe stop reading this portion of the review. There is a point made about a hoodie and who it belongs to. This is important because the film features a kidnapping which occurs because of a potential ransom, but the wrong kid is kidnapped. This occurs because of a hoodie that they believe Trey to have been wearing. In fact, it belongs to David’s lifelong friend, Paul (Jeffrey Wright). Trey is returned safely, but Kyle (Elijah Wright) is kidnapped. The kidnappers demand a staggering 17-million-dollar ransom to be paid. Now, here is where I feel the film gets good. It brings up the issue of mistaken identity, a kidnapping and the moral conflict in which the Denzel Washington character faces. With his son returned safely, can he refuse to make the ransom, despite the kidnappers intending to kidnap his son? Add to that the fact that the son is of a very close friend. I was with the film early on, but once the kidnapping plot came into play, I was truly invested. The FBI and police become involved, and we then follow the decisions that several characters must face as we get further into the film. Spike Lee does a great job of capturing the New York atmosphere as well. It’s so present that it acts as a character in and of itself.

Highest 2 Lowest maintained my interest throughout. It has the sort of energy that I love. A lot of modern-day films can drag and feel drawn out. While I feel this film goes a little long in the last act, it features great performances, a compelling story and sure direction to all make it a worthy experience. After viewing it, I plan to seek out the original film and compare but also view on its own terms. It is one of the stronger recent efforts from Both Washington and Spike Lee. Check it out.