Following early reactions, Highest 2 Lowest has premiered to largely positive reviews from critics. It debuted with a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Spike Lee’s latest thriller reunites him with Denzel Washington in a modern reimagining that explores power, legacy, and moral conflict in New York City.
What critics are saying about Highest 2 Lowest in reviews
Lindsey Bahr (AP News) wrote, “Highest 2 Lowest may not reach the heights of some of Lee’s best films, but it’s the kind of film that makes you hope Lee and Washington have more to make together.” Barry Hertz (Globe and Mail) stated, “When Lee puts Washington in just the right scene, with just the right power dynamics and just the right nerve-rattling dialogue, the result is a thing of high art.”
Brian Truitt (USA Today) said, “While Highest 2 Lowest makes for an intensely watchable reunion of a couple of icons, Lee makes sure to do right by the kids, too.” Nick Schager (The Daily Beast) remarked, “Confirms that Washington is rarely more alive than when in front of Lee’s lens.” Odie Henderson (Boston Globe) described the film as “a love letter to a trifecta of things its director adores: New York City, director Akira Kurosawa, and Denzel Washington.”
Peter Debruge (Variety) concluded, “In the end, Lee has taken High and Low to new highs, delivering a soul-searching genre movie that entertains while also sounding the alarm about where the culture could be headed.”
David Rooney (The Hollywood Reporter) noted, “The director is in the role of the flashy, panache-y showman here, and he plays it to perfection, delivering a big, highly polished chunk of movie that’s pure enjoyment.”
Martin Tsai (Critic’s Notebook) gave it a negative review, writing, “It’s evident that ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ is more concerned with fan service than basic storytelling.” Another unfavorable review came from Alex Billington (FirstShowing.net), who said, “At best it’s a Saturday Night TV movie – not meant for the big screen in any way.”
Highest 2 Lowest’s Rotten Tomatoes score is brilliant
Highest 2 Lowest has a Certified Fresh score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes from 65 critic reviews. The film’s Metascore is 75, based on 25 reviews, including 20 positive and 5 mixed. There are no user scores yet.
The film releases on August 15, 2025. It stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, and A$AP Rocky. Spike Lee directs, with writing credits to Evan Hunter, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, and Ryûzô Kikushima. The movie runs for 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.
