The first act of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low” is nothing short of masterful. Kurosawa creates a compelling chamber drama, entrapping us in a Yokohama penthouse as we are forced to watch Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune, “Seven Samurai”) as he struggles with balancing the massive moral weight of a demanded ransom. Kurosawa’s composition, especially the blocking of the actors, is meticulous and claustrophobic, resulting in stakes that feel enormous without anyone stepping foot out of the penthouse.

On the other hand, the first act of the English-language remake of Kurosawa’s film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” is the opposite. Director Spike Lee takes us on a sprawling trek through New York City, far removed from the confined penthouse overlooking Yokohama. We follow David King (Denzel Washington, “Gla

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