I've sat through a lot of trailers in my 47 years—some that promise the moon, others that deliver a dud. The new trailer for Highest 2 Lowest, Spike Lee's modern take on Kurosawa's High and Low, lands somewhere in between, teetering on a tightrope of ambition and misfire. With Denzel Washington front and center, headphones blaring, and that fiery Brooklyn Bridge backdrop, it's a visual gut punch. But the pulse? It's uneven.
This isn't just another remake. It's a reunion—Washington and Lee's fifth go-round, 20 years after their last collaboration. The poster screams intensity: warm oranges clash with cool shadows, framing Denzel as a music mogul caught in a ransom plot. Those oversized headphones and mirrored sunglasses hint at a man who hears everything, yet sees nothing coming. The trailer doubles down—quick cuts of New York's gritty streets, a moral dilemma that echoes Kurosawa's original, and a cast that includes Jeffrey Wright and A$AP Rocky. It premiered at Cannes in May 2025, a bold move for a film hitting theaters August 15th before streaming on Apple TV+ September 5th. A24's betting big, and Apple's streaming muscle backs it.
But here's the rub: I caught it at Cannes, and it's a slog. Kurosawa's 1963 masterpiece thrived on tension and restraint—Highest 2 Lowest trades that for sloppy pacing and a script (by Alan Fox) that feels like it's trying too hard. The original's quiet moral weight gets drowned in over-the-top New York bravado. Denzel's “best ears in the business” line lands flat, and the kidnapping plot stumbles into melodrama. Lee's signature style—those dynamic angles, that rhythmic editing—is there, but it's misdirected, like a jazz solo that forgets the melody. Compared to Inside Man or even BlacKkKlansman, this feels like a step back, a betrayal of the source material. Kurosawa would've walked out.
The industry play's smart, though. A24's limited theatrical run taps into prestige buzz, while Apple TV+'s September 5th drop leverages post-summer streaming hunger. It's a calculated move, mirroring Netflix's Glass Onion rollout. But the trailer's hype—those “All $$ Ain't Good $$” taglines—can't hide the cracks. Fans might show up for Denzel and Spike, but word's already spreading from Cannes: this isn't their finest hour.
So, does it work? Sometimes. The visuals pop, and Wright's presence is a lifeline. Would I watch it again? I've already forgotten half the runtime. Check the trailer yourself, weigh in below, and let's see if this one redeems itself when it drops. I'll be back with more thoughts post-release.
