I’d Been Waiting for This New Denzel Washington Thriller for Months—And It Really Is a Must-See

I’ve been waiting for Highest 2 Lowest since it was announced.

Reason one? I’m a huge Denzel Washington fan. Reason two? I’m a huge fan of Washington’s collaborations with legendary director Spike Lee. The two have worked together on many classics throughout the years, such as Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1996) and He Got Game (1998). Their last collaboration, 2006’s Inside Man, was nearly 20 years ago, so, needless to say, I was first in line at my local theater to catch an early showing of their new movie, Highest 2 Lowest. The film is a modern reinterpretation of the 1963 classic Japanese film, High and Low. Set in New York City, Highest 2 Lowest follows David King (Washington), an influential music mogul whose morality is tested when his son is kidnapped.

While the film is scheduled to be released via Apple TV on September 5, I had a feeling it needed to be seen in a theater to get the full effect, and I was right. The biggest reason the movie is a must-see is because of Washington. At 70-years-old, the iconic actor hasn’t lost a step, delivering a powerful performance packed with layers. Washington plays an astute businessman, but also a loving father willing to do anything for his child. We’ve seen Washington in a somewhat similar role (though the circumstances were very different) in 2002’s John Q., which I personally believe should have been the first to get him his first leading man Academy Award.

In John Q., Washington stars as a man named John, whose nine-year-old son is in desperate need of a heart transplant that requires a $75,000 deposit. John and his wife (Kimberly Elise) only have $1,000 to their name, so what does John do? Well…he holds the entire hospital hostage until he gets what he needs for his son. We’ve also seen Washington in fighter/agent mode on multiple occasions, including The Equalizer series that has been popular over the past decade or so.

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If I had to sum up Washington’s performance in Highest 2 Lowest in a few short words, I would say it’s John Q. meets The Equalizer with a twist. Jeffrey Wright delivers an incredibly emotional performance as well. I believe Wright is one of the most underrated actors in the business right now and is frequently overlooked in the best actor conversations. Sure, he’s gotten an Oscar nomination, but that still doesn’t feel like enough.

There’s also the incorporation of what I call the “Spike Lee details”: The stunning cinematography (the credit goes to Matthew Libatique, here), the love letters to New York, the powerful scenes and the musical score…it’s all brilliant, beautiful and adds to the engaging storyline. And in true Spike Lee fashion (especially when it comes to his collaborations with Washington), the film is packed with social commentary, and the second half takes a turn and leads to a dramatic finish.

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If I had one complaint, it would be that everything I mentioned above could have been amplified a bit more—I mean, that’s what you expect out of a Denzel Washington-Spike Lee film, right? Drama, action and pivotal moments to the max. They’re present in Highest 2 Lowest, but more subtly compared to their previous work together. But perhaps that’s the point…storytelling isn’t always a straight line or what you come to expect out of somebody. Sometimes, it’s evolving, changing and adapting with the times. Sometimes, it’s not about what you would have done in 1996 or even 2006; it’s about what you do in 2025.

But however you look at it, Highest 2 Lowest meets the mark (and then some) in that it still brings what we love the most out of a Washington-Lee collaboration, while taking a different direction.

Highest 2 Lowest is currently in theaters and will be available to stream on September 5.

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