Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have built an enduring professional bond spanning several decades, resulting in some remarkable movies. Following a nearly 20-year hiatus, this dynamic duo is reuniting for the film titled “Highest 2 Lowest“. This production is a contemporary adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterpiece, High and Low. In Lee’s reinterpretation, a New York City music producer finds his life in disarray when he becomes entangled in a ransom scheme. Besides Washington, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Aubrey Joseph.
Lee’s proposal indicates that “Highest 2 Lowest” will mark the final collaboration between them as a duo, making their upcoming movie all the more exciting for fans. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on August 22, followed by its release on Apple TV+ on September 5. Critics have already had a sneak peek of the movie since it was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival, generating even more buzz. With positive reviews focusing on Denzel Washington’s outstanding lead role, early Rotten Tomatoes scores suggest that “Highest 2 Lowest” could be contending for awards this season.
Highest 2 Lowest Is Now The Second Highest-Rated Project From Denzel Washington & Spike Lee
And It’s Just 1% Off Their Best Score Ever
As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that “Highest 2 Lowest” currently stands as the second highest-rated project by Washington and Lee on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting an impressive 88% score based on 32 reviews so far. However, this rating is still tentative as more data is expected post-release.
One of the film’s ardent supporters is Graeme Guttman from ScreenRant, who bestowed a 7 out of 10 rating upon it. In his review, he praised Washington’s versatile portrayal, stating that “Washington delivers an exceptional performance, seamlessly transitioning between the morally questionable tycoon, devoted family man, and vengeful avenger.
| RT Scores For Denzel Washington And Spike Lee’s Collaborations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title (Year) | RT Tomatometer | RT Popcornmeter |
| Malcolm X (1992) | 89% | 91% |
| Highest 2 Lowest (2025) | 88%* | TBD* |
| Inside Man (2006) | 86% | 85% |
| He Got Game (1998) | 80% | 83% |
| Mo’ Better Blues (1990) | 71% | 75% |
Using a more conversational tone: The Tomatometer score for “Highest 2 Lowest” nearly broke the record as the highest-rated film in the joint portfolio of Washington and Lee, but it barely missed the mark. At this moment, their second collaboration, “Malcolm X,” is still leading the pack. In terms of both Tomatometer and Popcornmeter ratings, “Malcolm X” currently holds the title as their highest-rated film, with an impressive 89% and 91% respectively. This positions “Highest 2 Lowest” in a unique spot within the Washington and Lee collaborative body of work, and could potentially influence the upcoming Oscar season.
Malcolm X Should’ve Won Denzel Washington Best Actor
Spike Lee Still Thinks The Oscars Got It Wrong
Although Malcolm X received favorable critiques, it fell short of the expected success upon its premiere. Not only did it fail to bring in significant box office revenue, but it also received just two Oscar nominations – Best Costume Design and Best Actor. Unfortunately, it didn’t win any awards, as Washington lost to Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman for the Best Actor category.
That year’s selection of the best actor in Washington D.C. was met with significant controversy and is considered one of the most notable oversights in Washington’s film career. Lee has voiced his displeasure about this choice on numerous occasions, referring to it as “unjustified” in a 2024 interview. In Lee’s own words, he felt that the Academy was favoring Pacino at the expense of an outstanding performance. This topic resurfaced again during a press conference at Cannes this year, when speaking about his film, “Highest 2 Lowest.” A relevant quote from Lee about this matter, as reported by Variety, is provided below:
“I can’t help but feel that the Academy wanted to pay their dues to Pacino and overlooked a truly exceptional performance. It’s a decision I find egregious, and one that still troubles me today when reflecting on my work in ‘Highest 2 Lowest.'” – Spike Lee (Variety, 2024)
Regarding ‘Malcolm X’, his portrayal in the movie was simply outstanding. Now, let me clarify, I hold deep admiration for Al Pacino, but in this case, I firmly believe that Denzel Washington deserved the recognition.
In essence, receiving these accolades is similar to basketball, where a referee may miss a call and you have to make a judgment. In this context, making the judgment was choosing ‘Training Day,’ a decision that earned him an Oscar. However, we don’t create our work with awards in mind, which are pleasing but ultimately, it’s the quality of the work that will outshine any award.
Could Highest 2 Lowest Put Denzel Back In The Oscars Conversation?
A Win Would Be His First Since 2002
The “Malcolm X” slight doesn’t imply that Washington was completely overlooked by the Oscars. As Lee mentioned, the actor managed to secure an Oscar win a few years later for his work in “Training Day,” partially compensating for his loss to Pacino. Since then, he has also been nominated for multiple other Oscars, with his most recent nomination being for his performance in “The Tragedy of Macbeth.
I’ve been thoroughly captivated by the exceptional response to “Highest 2 Lowest,” particularly due to Washington’s commanding portrayal that has stolen the show. Consequently, it appears he might resurface in Oscar discussions as a formidable contender. Nonetheless, the acting landscape this year is quite competitive, with Daniel Day-Lewis reemerging on the silver screen for “Anemone” and Leonardo DiCaprio starring in “One Battle After Another.” Nevertheless, Washington’s popularity within Hollywood and his early edge could propel him towards a triumph for “Highest 2 Lowest.
If he manages to win the award, it would provide an excellent opportunity to rectify the past oversight in the Oscars, particularly with regards to the Lee and Washington project. A Best Actor victory would be especially relevant following last year’s snub of Washington for Best Supporting Actor in Gladiator II, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe. Moreover, if Highest 2 Lowest wins an Oscar, it will mark Denzel Washington’s first since 2002. Although the nominations and winners are yet to be decided, Highest 2 Lowest’s high Rotten Tomatoes score suggests that Washington is on a promising trajectory for awards season.
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2025-05-26 19:38