A new Denzel Washington thriller with 88% on Rotten Tomatoes is streaming now

The crime thriller sees him reuniting with his Inside Man and Malcolm X director Spike Lee.

Streaming via Apple TV+, the movie is a remake of the '60s Japanese classic High and Low from legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, which itself was based on the '50s novel King's Ransom by Ed McBain.

This latest reimagining of the story stars Washington as a titan music mogul, who is widely known for having the "best ears in the business".

However, when he is targeted with a ransom plot, he becomes "jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma", one which plays out on "the mean streets of modern-day New York City".

Highest 2 Lowest's cast also includes Oscar-nominee Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), alongside Dean Winters (Oz), Frederick Weller (Mosaic), Ilfenesh Hadera (Godfather of Harlem), Michael Potts (True Detective) and Wendell Pierce (The Wire).

This is alongside A-list rappers ASAP Rocky and Ice Spice.

Highest 2 Lowest premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May to rave reviews.

In particular, Rocky and Washington's performances, Lee's typically stylish direction and the updates to the original movie were singled out for praise.

Jeffrey Wright in Highest 2 Lowest

Holding an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score at the time of writing, you can read a sample of the glowing reviews for Highest 2 Lowest below:

Detroit News: "Highest 2 Lowest is the best kind of remake: It takes the source material, resets it, and lets the director put his own spin on it. It's one master paying homage to another, and the result is a pure cinematic rush, from top to bottom."

Empire: "Denzel Washington’s unshakeable gravitas anchors a dazzling, jazzy riff on the crime drama that somehow feels wildly uplifting for all its grit."

NPR: "Everywhere there are grace notes -- cameos, recreations of art from Spike Lee's own collection, in-jokes -- to complement the pulsing, vibrant, rousing, seriously musical, and occasionally even profound entertainment that is Highest 2 Lowest."

ScreenCrush: "Washington and Rocky’s scenes are flat-out electric."

How to watch Highest 2 Lowest

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Unlike in the US, Highest 2 Lowest did not get a cinema release in Ireland and the UK.

That said, it is now available to stream through the service Apple TV+.