Highest 2 Lowest Review: A Thriller That Hits the Wrong Notes
Denzel Washington in a Spike Lee movie? That sentence alone was enough to get people buzzing. Add to that the fact that it’s a crime thriller remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, and the hype machine was running full steam. Early chatter only made the anticipation bigger. But now that Highest 2 Lowest has dropped, the big question is: does it actually live up to all that excitement?
Plot Breakdown
Denzel Washington plays David King, a powerful music mogul in New York City. On paper, it’s a role tailor-made for him: commanding, conflicted, and deeply entangled in both business and morality. The story follows the kidnapping of what seems to be King’s son Trey (played by Aubrey Joseph). Soon, it’s revealed the real victim is Kyle (Elijah Wright), the son of Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright), King’s driver and trusted confidant.
The ransom demand? Seventeen and a half million dollars in Swiss 1000-franc notes. At first, King hesitates. He’s ready to save his own son but balks at paying the same amount for Paul’s child. Eventually, after realizing the public relations nightmare he might face if he refuses, King agrees to hand over the money. What follows is a drop-off scene, a money switcheroo, and a chase that leaves the kidnapper still at large.
The twist is that David’s reputation as the “best ear in the business” comes into play. He recognizes the kidnapper’s voice as belonging to Young Felon (A$AP Rocky), an up-and-coming artist who once sent him demo tapes that King ignored. With Paul by his side, David confronts Felon in what spirals into a bizarre showdown complete with an impromptu rap battle. Felon admits he looked up to David but turned to crime when his music went unheard, claiming he only wanted to support his family. Things escalate into a shootout, and eventually David delivers Felon to the police.
On paper, it’s not the worst premise for a crime thriller. But story alone doesn’t make a film work. And in this case, the problems lie elsewhere.
Acting: All Over the Place
Let’s start with the cast.
Denzel is Denzel. His performance is larger than life, and while some critics argue he was “too much,” that seems to be how the character was written. David King is meant to be extroverted and dramatic, so the overblown energy works in bursts.
Jeffrey Wright, usually flawless, is surprisingly uneven here. In some scenes, he delivers the perfect emotional weight of a desperate father. In others, like a heated exchange with cops where he blurts “Am I under arrest?”, his performance tips into unintentional comedy. It’s jarring, especially from someone of his caliber.
Aubrey Joseph (best known for Cloak & Dagger) doesn’t get much to do beyond playing the mistaken-son plot device, while Ice Spice makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it acting debut with barely two minutes of screen time.
The real surprise is A$AP Rocky. His portrayal of Young Felon is one of the film’s few bright spots. He nails the entitled, parasocial menace vibe, playing a character who blames his own failures on the system and on David himself. His first phone call with Denzel is easily one of the film’s best moments, setting up tension that the rest of the movie struggles to match.
If only the rest of the cast matched Rocky’s conviction, Highest 2 Lowest might have stood on stronger legs.
Editing and Pacing Issues
If the acting was uneven, the editing takes things a step further. Transitions between key scenes feel rushed and sloppy. Toward the end, we’re shown what looks like a half-finished pitch video from Young Felon to David, meant to underline their artistic differences. Instead, it plays like a chopped-up YouTube montage thrown in at the last minute.
The pacing is another major flaw. Scenes drag where they should be tight, and key reveals land without impact. A thriller should feel sharp and tense, but here it feels like we’re watching a rough cut that needed another month in the editing room.
The Biggest Offender: The Music
Here’s where the film really collapses: the background music.
For about 70% of the runtime, the score leans heavily on dramatic, orchestral-style instrumentals. In theory, that might work for a prestige thriller, but here it feels out of step with what’s happening on screen. Conversations with cops, father-to-son moments, even quieter investigative beats are all weighed down by the same somber tone.
The most glaring example comes during the big cop chase. Instead of an adrenaline-pumping score, the scene unfolds against the backdrop of a parade. What we hear are upbeat, piano-led dance rhythms layered awkwardly over the pursuit. It’s meant to be stylish, maybe symbolic but instead it undercuts the tension and makes the whole sequence feel bizarrely out of place.
Ironically, the few times hip-hop does creep in, like when David finally confronts Young Felon, the music feels more authentic and fitting. Those moments show how much better the film could have worked if the soundtrack had leaned harder into the world of its characters instead of forcing an artsy mismatch.
A crime thriller lives and dies by tone, and music is the glue that binds tension to story. Think Jaws without its iconic theme, or Interstellar without Hans Zimmer’s swelling organs. In Highest 2 Lowest, the score constantly fights the film, burying even the strongest acting performances under choices that just don’t belong.
Final Thoughts
Highest 2 Lowest is a missed opportunity. On paper, it had everything: a legendary director, one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, and a premise borrowed from one of cinema’s most respected filmmakers. But the execution? Disjointed.
Denzel Washington is still magnetic, and A$AP Rocky brings genuine fire to his role. Unfortunately, everything else, from Jeffrey Wright’s uneven performance to the choppy editing and disastrous music choices, drags the film down.
I wanted to like this movie. Instead, I was left more confused than entertained. What should have been a sharp crime thriller turned into an awkward, strangely-scored experiment.
Rating:
I might have given it a 3.5 for Denzel and Rocky alone, but the soundtrack knocks it down a full point to 2.5.
Stream It or Skip It?
If you’re a die-hard Denzel Washington fan and can mentally block out the music, you might get something out of Highest 2 Lowest. If you’re into unconventional, artsy choices in thrillers, maybe give it a try. But for most people, I’d say skip it. There are far better crime dramas out there that won’t leave you scratching your head during a chase scene set to parade music.
That’s my take on Highest 2 Lowest. Did the soundtrack ruin the movie for you too, or did you find it bold and refreshing? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, I’d love to hear if you felt the same way or saw something I missed.
Highest 2 Lowest is now Streaming on Apple TV+. And for more such movie takes click here.
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