Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, BlacKkKlansman) directs Evan Hunter’s crime thriller screenplay about music mogul David King (Denzel Washington), who’s the target of a kidnapping ransom plot. It’s a loose remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese film High and Low that was based on American writer Ed McBain’s 1959 novel King’s Ransom. (133 min.)
Highest 2 Lowest
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Apple TV+
Glen: This marks the fifth collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington after Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcom X (1992), He Got Game (1998), and Inside Man (2006), and they’re both in fine form. Lee’s direction is spellbinding right from the opening sequence as the sun rises over Manhattan to the sounds of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” (from Oklahoma!) and onto the thrilling chase through the streets as the ransom money is passed between scooter riders and then to King’s foot pursuit of the kidnapper Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky) and every moment in between. Washington is amazing as King, a music exec known to have “the best ears in the business” for his ability to discover and nurture hitmakers. He finds himself in a moral quandary when he discovers that his son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), wasn’t the kidnap victim. It was Trey’s bestie and his driver and confidant Paul’s (Jeffrey Wright at his best) son, Kyle (Elijah Wright). Does David pay the $17.5 million to save Kyle? It’s downright Shakespearean.
Anna: The moral quandary is strong. When it’s his own flesh and blood, there’s no question of whether the ransom will be paid, but when the weight of his child’s safety is lifted from his shoulders, it becomes a much more complicated choice. Paying the ransom will wipe out King’s kitty, and he’ll never be able to buy back his record label without it. King not only has to face pleas from Paul to save Kyle, but also from his own son, Trey, whose best friend’s life has been given a price. In his other ear is his wife, Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera), who’s reluctant to give up their lux life in their Dumbo penthouse. King has a lot of soul to search, and we watch as he resigns himself to a decision. Washington is always great, and Highest 2 Lowest is another feather in his cap as well as Lee’s. These two know how to make a film compelling.
Glen: It’s not just Paul and Trey putting pressure on King to pay. In the Internet and social media age, there’s also public perception. King, who’s clearly beloved in the music biz, would look pretty bad letting a young man die over money, and he knows it. The music business itself has changed so much in recent years, and King also realizes he’s old guard and maybe no longer has the ears to recognize the hits. He’s a man at a crossroads. The story flies by, but the last act and the dénouement are particularly sublime as King confronts Yung Felon, who has very personal reasons for targeting King. The end itself satisfies, and Lee proves he can remake a very good film into something even better. It’s a terrific update of a story about an impossible choice.
Anna: I loved that King ultimately realized that the kidnapper was Yung Felon by relying on his “best ears in the business” after Trey points out a track playing in the background of the kidnapper’s calls. The cast all do a great job. Jeffery Wright is such a compelling actor, and his turn as Paul is no different. This is an Apple TV+ film, so it’s available streaming, but it is absolutely worth renting if you don’t have a monthly subscription to the platform. Let’s hope Washington and Lee continue this love affair—I’ll happily watch anything they put together.
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sep 18 – Sep 25, 2025.