Spike Lee’s thriller “Highest 2 Lowest” opened in U.S. cinemas this week, reuniting the director with longtime collaborator Denzel Washington for the first time since 2006’s “Inside Man.” The picture is getting a limited two-week theatrical run before moving to Apple TV+ in September, underlining the tech company’s strategy of short exclusive windows for marquee originals. Adapted from Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic “High and Low,” the new film relocates the kidnapping drama to contemporary Brooklyn. Washington stars as music-industry mogul David King, while rapper A$AP Rocky, in a breakout turn, plays the antagonist Yung Felon. Lee told ABC News the project is designed as a “taut thriller,” blending social commentary with genre suspense. Early critical response has been largely favorable. The Atlantic’s David Sims calls the picture “a worthy attempt” that retains Kurosawa’s moral tensions while injecting Lee’s trademark New York energy, and GQ says Rocky provides “the jolt of energy the movie needs.” Boston.com notes the release strategy mirrors Apple’s previous high-profile launches, betting that buzz from a brief theatrical stint will lift viewership on the streaming platform.