Denzel Washington’s son gets kidnapped in this movie, and here, he doesn’t have his Equalizer skills to rely on for a rescue.
In the film, based on 1963’s “High and Low” by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, Washington stars as David King. A music mogul, King is head of a major label and has built a reputation of having the best ears in the business. Eventually, his status draws the attention of a kidnapper, who abducts his son.
In the process, the abductor also kidnapped the son of one of King’s workers and friends, Paul (Jeffrey Wright). The man who committed the crime demands ransom, and in a flash, young lives, millions of dollars and his music empire are at stake.
Music can, and often does, play a major role in film. Sometimes, it can be entirely critical to a movie being good. Other times, it can become a hindrance when not utilized well. That’s notably the case with “Highest 2 Lowest,” which has several scenes, especially in the first half, that are nearly drowned out by an exaggerated score.
Sequences where the scenes should stand on their own because of the dangerous situation at play feel over the top and hard to take seriously because of the music enveloping what’s on screen. This is combined with a few moments where characters interact in a rather melodramatic way, with the picture almost coming across like something out of a soap opera.
The good news is the positives of the film still shine through, and the whole picture shifts into another gear in the second half, making for a strong movie all together. Even during some of the early scenes with a few questionable choices in dialogue and music, the power of the movie’s cast and the situation weighing on the characters keeps the film compelling.
The initial kidnapping, and subsequent developments that further complicate life for King and those around him, makes for a captivating experience. As the stakes rise the more the film goes on, director Spike Lee’s film seems to fall into a better groove, authentically capitalizing on both the suspense of a crime procedural and emotion of interpersonal drama.
Full disclosure, I haven’t watched the film by Kurosawa, so how things unfolded was all new, but all things considered, it seems like a movie that works regardless if you’ve seen the inspirational source or not. Part of that is thanks to Lee, who’s signature style is at play.
The movie looks great and is nicely put together, and Lee makes the most of the setting, with the City of New York feeling like a character in itself. Also, while the music in other moments is a detriment, the film successfully infuses hip hop culture well, giving the picture more of an identity.
Unsurprisingly, Washington is fantastic in the lead role. It’s not a career best from the legend, but scenes of his character negotiating, weighing his options and showing resolve, are all quite good, reminding us of how talented he is. Wright, though, deserves plenty of credit for his performance, too, successfully showing his character’s desperation and mental strain.
“Highest 2 Lowest” is a bit iffy early in its presentation, keeping it from being one of Lee’s best. However, the talent on screen and behind the camera make this film work in a lot of ways, and it gets better the more it goes on. Ultimately, it’s a winner. 3.85 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 
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