Summary
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are reuniting forHigh and Low, and the new movie can redeem the director over a decade after a big disappointment. Denzel and Spike have a long history of working together and making successful movies. The highs ofMalcolm XandInside Manalways create excitement when they collaborate on another project. That is why the announcement that Denzel Washington would star inSpike Lee’sHigh and Lowremakeimmediately made the film a highly anticipated project.
Many aspects ofHigh and Lowhelp make the newDenzel Washington and Spike Lee movieone to look forward to. It is their first movie together in 18 years, as 2006’sInside Manwas the last time they worked on the same project. The two talented men have continued to make films and tell stories apart, and they have each experienced different levels of success and failure. Considering how great of a track record they have together,High and Lowhas a chance to redeem one of Spike Lee’s more disappointing films.
New Denzel Washington Movie Breaks An 18-Year Drought After $185 Million Hit
Denzel Washington’s upcoming movie is set to end an 18-year drought after he ended an early career trend with a hit that grossed $185 million.
High and Lowis not the first remake for Spike Lee or Denzel Washington, but it is the first for the director in over a decade. He last remade an existing story in 2013 withOldboy. The movie was anAmerican remake of Park Chan-wook’s original 2003 Korean film, which received strong critical praise upon its release, leading to an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Spike Lee’s version starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley, and others did not go over nearly as well a decade later. It has a disappointing 39% Tomatometer rating.
After the troubles thatOldboyexperienced,Spike Lee shifted the focus of his directing efforts to make original stories. This led him to makeDa Sweet Blood of Jesus,Chi-Raq,BlackKklansman, andDa 5 Bloodsas his next movies. He did remake one of his movies as a TV show with Netflix’sShe’s Gotta Have Itseries, but he has otherwise steered clear of remaking a story someone else already told. Now,High and Lowsees Spike Lee remake Akira Kurosawa’s acclaimed thriller from 1963.
Denzel Washington’s New Remake Needs To Improve On His Attempt At Doing Kurosawa From 8 Years Ago
Remaking High and Low gives Denzel Washington a second chance at successfully reimagining Akira Kurosawa’s work after 2016’s The Magnificent Seven.
How High And Low Can Avoid Oldboy’s Biggest Criticisms
Spike Lee Can Learn From His Mistakes
One of the biggest criticisms levied against Spike Lee’sOldboywas how it failed to live up to or surpass the original movie by taking a safe approach to the adaptation. The filmmaker’s ability to avoid this mistake again withHigh and Lowis crucial to the film’s success. Lee is once again tackling a story that was already expertly told, although this time he has to match Akira Kurosawa.Taking a low-risk approach to this adaptation could hurt howHigh and Lowis received, just as it did withOldboy.
If Lee injects more of himself and his style, all while modernizing and updating the story, his and Denzel Washington’sHigh and Lowremake could work. This is even more important when telling a mystery thriller narrative like the one present here.Oldboyhad its own mystery and twists by the end, butLee could have done a better job of creating the tension, unraveling the truth, and detailing the surprises. Hopefully,High and Lowis a compelling thriller more in the vein ofInside Manand improves upon what Spike Lee delivered withOldboy.
