High and Low
Toho Company | Release Date: November 26, 1963 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
90
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 17 Critic Reviews
Positive:
17
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
A sizzling, artistic crackerjack and a model of its genre, pegged on a harassed man's moral decision, laced with firm characterizations and tingling detail and finally attaining an incredibly colorful crescendo of microscopic police sleuthing. Read full review
100
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Miraculously, High And Low turns the mundane follow-through of police work into the stuff of white-knuckle suspense. Read full review
100
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Superb crime thriller. [07 Sep 1998, p.1N]
100
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
It is possibly Kurosawa's most underrated masterpiece, rich in characterization and structure, yet lost in the shuffle among such classics as "Rashomon" and "Seven Samurai." [14 Sep 2008, p.N31]
90
The DissolveMike D'Angelo
Few movies have ever been as subtly, methodically composed as High And Low, in which every shot reflects, to some degree, the dichotomy presented by its title. Read full review
90
Paste MagazineOktay Ege Kozak
The most tension-filled ransom exchange sequence ever filmed works perfectly as the midpoint break between the two halves, which eventually begin to converge as a potent study on the psychological effects of income inequality disguised as a straight genre piece. Read full review
90
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
I would nominate this authoritative 1962 adaptation of Ed McBain’s novel The King’s Ransom as Akira Kurosawa’s best nonperiod picture, though Ikiru and Rhapsody in August are tough competitors. Read full review
90
The Observer (UK)Philip French
As well as being a skilfully developed thriller and a study in moral dilemma, High and Low is a precise and devastating anatomy of postwar Japanese society. [31 Jan 1999, p.11]
88
Slant MagazineGlenn Heath Jr.
High and Low is a masterful cinematic elevator connecting two warring social perspectives, finding a common ground between them in the pressurized corners of the classic crime drama. Read full review
88
LarsenOnFilmJosh Larsen
Intricate blocking keeps these early scenes visually engaging, but there’s no doubt High and Low takes off once the exec agrees to pay and we’re treated to an elaborate money-drop sequence, with the kidnapper staying one step ahead of the police. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
While not a masterpiece on par with Kurosawa's best work, High And Low is a fine example of his craft, and further proof that it's not a few masterpieces but the overall scope of a career that defines a great director. Read full review
80
EmpireDavid Parkinson
This lesser known Kurosawa feature is worth a look, with outstanding performances and stunning cinematography. Read full review
80
Washington PostPaul Attanasio
It's not one of his masterpieces, but High and Low fully illustrates why Kurosawa is regarded as Japan's foremost director. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Structurally, High and Low, which is remarkable in many ways--the camera work alone could serve as a primer in film technique--is quite a departure for Kurosawa. Read full review
80
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)
The first half, set in a single room, echoes Hitchcock's Rope in exploring his moral dilemma while the action takes place off-screen. The second is disconcertingly different in that it focuses excitingly on the police procedures deployed in the hunt for the kidnapper. But the connections, though sometimes overly obvious in appealing to the liberal conscience, span fascinating Dostoevskian depths. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianTed Mahar
High and Low is more than a crime melodrama; it's a philosophical drama as well. [23 Nov 1988, p.D06]
75
TV Guide Magazine
In HIGH AND LOW Kurosawa succeeds in developing a highly visual structural style within the wide-screen format. Read full review
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