‘Highest 2 Lowest’ | Denzel Washington & Spike Lee Reunite to Remake Kurosawa Classic | A24 • Apple (8/22)

[Optimus Prime]

Its good but just like last few offerings from Spike this is too long but if you got Denzel, let him cook plus they made this for Apple TV.
Too many N-bombs from ASAP Rocky but other than that he's was fine.
I got rewatch to OG to see if the the soundtrack was this loud. Every scene had music playing under it and sometimes it seem too loud.
Trying to make 70 year old Denzel look 60 with that hair was not good. He should have just been bald.
And they could have just sold a couple of those Basquiat's to pay the ransom

 

[WIA20XX]

8/10 for me, but signature Spike Lee.

On the meta, I was basically waiting for one of the characters to be exposed as the inside man. No pun intended.

New York looks beautiful,

The people of New York well represented for the most part,

There was a dolly shot as usual, an interesting little action sequence, but

A lot of the actor did not seem to be capable of acting.

A whole lot of MESSAGE, but You know that going into a Spike Lee joint though.

Some of the dialogue was contrived, or at least trying to capture something that Hollywood writers don't seem to be able to capture. If ASAP. Rocky was ad-libbing, some of the stuff they wanted him to say. Just didn't sound like him.

It makes me want to see the original, to see what direction Spike took.

Critiques aside, it was a really good movie, on par with some of the other movies I've seen this summer. It might be the best movie meant for streaming, that I've ever seen. It really beats out Wolfs, and up there with The Killer (fincher, 2023)

For Spike, this won't be in his top 10 though

 

[FunkDoc1112]

8/10 for me, but signature Spike Lee.

On the meta, I was basically waiting for one of the characters to be exposed as the inside man. No pun intended.

New York looks beautiful,

The people of New York well represented for the most part,

There was a dolly shot as usual, an interesting little action sequence, but

A lot of the actor did not seem to be capable of acting.

A whole lot of MESSAGE, but You know that going into a Spike Lee joint though.

Some of the dialogue was contrived, or at least trying to capture something that Hollywood writers don't seem to be able to capture. If ASAP. Rocky was ad-libbing, some of the stuff they wanted him to say. Just didn't sound like him.

It makes me want to see the original, to see what direction Spike took.

Critiques aside, it was a really good movie, on par with some of the other movies I've seen this summer. It might be the best movie meant for streaming, that I've ever seen. It really beats out Wolfs, and up there with The Killer (fincher, 2023)

For Spike, this won't be in his top 10 though

It was funny, the scene where they were riding down downtown Brooklyn in the beginning was literally the bus route I took to the movie theater I saw it in

 

[WIA20XX]

Also, this movie is the definition of respectable Black Opulence (and/or product placement)

The art and tasteful decor, the clothes, the cars, the jewels, the hint at respectability politics...

 

[Dr. Acula]

it’s was an ok movie. It would be better if someone else besides spike Lee directed it tbh. It was like a movie directed by two people. The beginning directing and pacing was …off. Some of the acting from some characters, like the wife, was actually kind of bad. Then some of the quality of the scenes felt like almost tv movie quality.

Then the middle of the movie was excellent. It felt more of a good quality produced movie. Then it dipped a bit again towards the end.

The shifting between quality is what made it seem like almost two different teams worked on different parts of the movie.

I say it would have been better if someone besides Spike Lee directed it because it suffered from some things that are common to Spike Lee movies which is he self-inserts himself a bit too much in the movie. I get it. You love the Yankees and you think New York is the greatest city on earth. Cool. Not a big deal but sometimes you feel someone needs to rein him in from sucking off his own passions and interests through film.

 

[Dr. Acula]

Its good but just like last few offerings from Spike this is too long but if you got Denzel, let him cook plus they made this for Apple TV.
Too many N-bombs from ASAP Rocky but other than that he's was fine.
I got rewatch to OG to see if the the soundtrack was this loud. Every scene had music playing under it and sometimes it seem too loud.
Trying to make 70 year old Denzel look 60 with that hair was not good. He should have just been bald.
And they could have just sold a couple of those Basquiat's to pay the ransom

The OG wasn’t about a music executive but a shoe salesman. The tone of the original is more suspense and slower so be prepared for that. Didn’t have as much comedic moments and not as fast pace. It’s a weekend at home late at night type of movie.

 

[Nostalgic]

The OG wasn’t about a music executive but a shoe salesman. The tone of the original is more suspense and slower so be prepared for that. Didn’t have as much comedic moments and not as fast pace. It’s a weekend at home late at night type of movie.

Thank you for add this.

I'll try to get around and peep the og version.

 

[BlackMajik]

it’s was an ok movie. It would be better if someone else besides spike Lee directed it tbh

This is what I feared smh

Spike needs to fukking retire. He's consistently mediocre now

 

[Dr. Acula]

This is what I feared smh

Spike needs to fukking retire. He's consistently mediocre now

It’s not a bad movie tbh. I don’t regret seeing it. But it has some of spikes worst habits in it imo. Some folks may appreciate it

 

[Born Rich]

8/10 for me, but signature Spike Lee.

On the meta, I was basically waiting for one of the characters to be exposed as the inside man. No pun intended.

New York looks beautiful,

The people of New York well represented for the most part,

There was a dolly shot as usual, an interesting little action sequence, but

A lot of the actor did not seem to be capable of acting.

A whole lot of MESSAGE, but You know that going into a Spike Lee joint though.

Some of the dialogue was contrived, or at least trying to capture something that Hollywood writers don't seem to be able to capture. If ASAP. Rocky was ad-libbing, some of the stuff they wanted him to say. Just didn't sound like him.

It makes me want to see the original, to see what direction Spike took.

Critiques aside, it was a really good movie, on par with some of the other movies I've seen this summer. It might be the best movie meant for streaming, that I've ever seen. It really beats out Wolfs, and up there with The Killer (fincher, 2023)

For Spike, this won't be in his top 10 though

the white fed was terrible…took me out every time he was on screen…

the actress playing denzel’s wife was also eh…

Spoiler

that scene where denzel reveals their son had been kidnapped lacked any emotional weight cuz the wife’s reaction fell flat. [\spoiler]

 

[WIA20XX]

Spoiler

the white fed was terrible…took me out every time he was on screen…

the actress playing denzel’s wife was also eh…

Spoiler

that scene where denzel reveals their son had been kidnapped lacked any emotional weight cuz the wife’s reaction fell flat. [\spoiler]

Spoiler: Specific Complaints

Agreed

• The Son and Denzel scenes - great
• The Son on the solo - no
• The Best Friend - horrible
• Son and the Best Friend - horrible
• Jeffrey Wright - I like the fact that he was an old 5%er/NOI/Muslim etc - but his "muslim-isms" kept getting repeated over and over. They didn't give him much to work with, but he did what he could with what he had
• Jeff vs Denzel - not so much an acting problem, but fake drama with Denzel not wanting to spend the money on Jeff's son.
• The Wife - fine as hell - apparently in other Spike movies - Zero chemistry with Denzel, Poor Reaction to Kid getting kidnapped
• The Abrupt change in how they're operating when they find out Trey/The Kid got nabbed.
• Denzel Running - LOL. C'mon Son. Ain't no 60/70 year old man keeping pace with however old/young ASAP is.
  • Good thing they chose Rocky, cause I could see Denzel handling his frail frame. But fight scenes have never been one of Spike's strong suits.
• The train drop/misdirect - that coulda went so wrong, but him being in the first car then dropping it down from between the 1st and 2nd...I'll allow it.
• The text that Jeff sent when Yung Felon (smh at the name) came up - really bad misdirect.
• All State guy turned into Cop - Made it seem like he was in on it, but the whole cop squad looked suss if you're playing the meta game.
• Bunk aka Wendell Pierce - he shoulda got more screen time, way more than other Black exec and random white exec.

So bad acting.
Weird Plot, not a lot of logic or set up.
Some WTF moments

The messaging....I mean I'm betting Denzel's Puffy/Russell Simmons was not pushing Public Enemies and Arrested Developments and PM Dawns in 2004. There's kinda some head scratching with him trying to "reach" Asap in the basement studio scene. There were a lot of non-verbal "amens" in my theater when all that stuff was going on. So I kinda don't know what to think about the messaging, Gen X/Civil Rights Generation politics and where I fit into this. I still like the "idea" of a X-Clan/Brand Nubian/Public Enemy/Paris/dead prez etc. Clarify the message and give better tools would be how i'd change that era...

And still, I gotta say I liked the movie. Even with all the speechifying, in-wards getting thrown around in a Spike Lee Flick, Denzel kinda hamming it up in some parts...

Call it comfort food (or soul food...), but even with all of the glaring problems, I still ended up liking it a good bit.

 

[Born Rich]

Spoiler: Specific Complaints

Agreed

• The Son and Denzel scenes - great
• The Son on the solo - no
• The Best Friend - horrible
• Son and the Best Friend - horrible
• Jeffrey Wright - I like the fact that he was an old 5%er/NOI/Muslim etc - but his "muslim-isms" kept getting repeated over and over. They didn't give him much to work with, but he did what he could with what he had
• Jeff vs Denzel - not so much an acting problem, but fake drama with Denzel not wanting to spend the money on Jeff's son.
• The Wife - fine as hell - apparently in other Spike movies - Zero chemistry with Denzel, Poor Reaction to Kid getting kidnapped
• The Abrupt change in how they're operating when they find out Trey/The Kid got nabbed.
• Denzel Running - LOL. C'mon Son. Ain't no 60/70 year old man keeping pace with however old/young ASAP is.
  • Good thing they chose Rocky, cause I could see Denzel handling his frail frame. But fight scenes have never been one of Spike's strong suits.
• The train drop/misdirect - that coulda went so wrong, but him being in the first car then dropping it down from between the 1st and 2nd...I'll allow it.
• The text that Jeff sent when Yung Felon (smh at the name) came up - really bad misdirect.
• All State guy turned into Cop - Made it seem like he was in on it, but the whole cop squad looked suss if you're playing the meta game.
• Bunk aka Wendell Pierce - he shoulda got more screen time, way more than other Black exec and random white exec.

So bad acting.
Weird Plot, not a lot of logic or set up.
Some WTF moments

The messaging....I mean I'm betting Denzel's Puffy/Russell Simmons was not pushing Public Enemies and Arrested Developments and PM Dawns in 2004. There's kinda some head scratching with him trying to "reach" Asap in the basement studio scene. There were a lot of non-verbal "amens" in my theater when all that stuff was going on. So I kinda don't know what to think about the messaging, Gen X/Civil Rights Generation politics and where I fit into this. I still like the "idea" of a X-Clan/Brand Nubian/Public Enemy/Paris/dead prez etc. Clarify the message and give better tools would be how i'd change that era...

And still, I gotta say I liked the movie. Even with all the speechifying, in-wards getting thrown around in a Spike Lee Flick, Denzel kinda hamming it up in some parts...

Call it comfort food (or soul food...), but even with all of the glaring problems, I still ended up liking it a good bit.

you hit the nail on the head on a lot of these points, especially regarding jeff wright. breh is a phenomenal actor so i wish his character had a bit more depth. he wasn’t bad at all, but like you said they didn’t give him a lot to work with…

yea, despite all that i still enjoyed it. i was engaged the whole time and i thought denzel and jeff wright played off each other well…

on another note, went to a 4p showtime this past friday and was surprised at the turnout. it wasn’t sold out, but the theater was probably at ~60% capacity and way more white folks than i expected…

 

[Da Rhythm Rebel]

Oh man where do I start..

Overall I liked it..loved the meta commentary on the music biz & social media today. The Denzel & A$ap scenes when they were on screen together were fire for sure

But..

I echo pretty much all of the cons people have mentioned starting with the wife. Her performance was horrible.

And while I thought the interior shots were amazing, that backdrop long shots of NYC from DUMBO were too perfect. Yes on one hand they were gorgeous shots and it looked nice but it didn't come off as authentic NY skyline/scenery if that makes sense. Wasn't until they shifted to the Bx and you can tell they were actually on location, that all felt and looked more authentic

And I was kinda waiting to wrap it all up in a bow and have that "AHA" moment/payoff but that never happened.

Not disappointed but could have been a lot stronger IMO

 

[Amerikan Melanin]

The first shot of Denzel on the balcony was fire.

Spike doesn’t have it anymore. His films have no excitement for some reason and seem unpolished now like he’s second guessing himself.

I hated the music behind almost every scene.

All the action sequences were horrible. Spike can’t film action for some reason.

Hated Dean Winters, he was HORRIBLE. That entire character needed to go.

How come only 1 person got caught and faced prison? There were mad accomplices in on the drop!!!!!!?!?

Loved that apartment and the artwork. That was black wealth.

6/10 on the strength of Denzel and Jeffrey Wright.

 

[Amerikan Melanin]

Oh ASAP got 2 bangers on the soundtrack btw.

Trunks which was the lead song they played knocks. I was in the theater rocking. Played it on the way home in the whip and it sounds even better.

Both Eyes closed is good too.