# High and Low Remakes: What Gains and Loses > Ben Affleck’s Netflix thriller Animals reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, but skips its intricate investigation for political optics. - Title: High and Low Remakes: What Gains and Loses · mint | Shortify - Summary: Ben Affleck’s Netflix thriller Animals reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, but skips its intricate investigation for political optics. Ben… - Keywords: high and low, akira kurosawa, ben affleck, spike lee, highest 2 lowest, animals, netflix, ransom, class struggle, hindi film, inkaar, mumbai - Source: mint — https://livemint.com/mint-lounge/art-and-culture/high-and-low-akira-kurosawa-film-remake-animals-ben-affleck-spike-lee-11792226873712.html - Author: Gayle Sequeira - Published: 2026-10-18T05:30:11+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: high and low, akira kurosawa, ben affleck, spike lee, highest 2 lowest, animals, netflix, ransom, class struggle, hindi film, inkaar, mumbai ## High and Low’s Core Conflict Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low begins with board members arguing that their shoes should be stylish but flimsy to boost sales. > the shoes they manufacture should be stylish but ultimately flimsy, needing to be replaced more frequently so that the company’s sales increase ## Kingo Gondo’s Moral Dilemma Principled executive Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune) faces a ransom demand after his son is kidnapped, risking his financial ruin and company control. > his son has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom ## The Ransom Misunderstanding Gondo learns the kidnapper mistakenly abducted his chauffeur’s son, but the ransom demand remains unchanged. > the extortionist mistakenly abducted his chauffeur’s son instead ## Gondo’s Financial Sacrifice Gondo mortgages his home to buy controlling shares, knowing payment would decimate his finances and family’s future. > he mortgaged his home in a bid to buy controlling shares in the firm ## Class Divisions in High and Low The film contrasts Gondo’s mansion with slums, showing class divides within families and character arcs. > class divisions appear even within a family unit ## Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest Spike Lee’s 2025 film Highest 2 Lowest swaps Kurosawa’s postwar Tokyo for modern New York City. > spike lee’s highest 2 lowest (2025) ## Highest 2 Lowest’s Rivalry Music producer David King (Denzel Washington) challenges rapper Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky) to a rap battle across a recording studio’s glass. > challenging hostile rapper yung felon (asap rocky) to a rap battle across the clear glass of a recording studio ## Highest 2 Lowest’s Themes The film explores AI’s impact on the arts, cancel culture, and viral fame through King’s failed attempts to capitalize on new artists. > king, once dubbed the best ears in the business, fails to capitalize on new artists and trends ## The 1977 Hindi Remake The 1977 Hindi film Inkaar moves from a Mumbai industrialist’s apartment to China Creek marsh and ends in the jungle. > the 1977 hindi remake inkaar moves from a mumbai industrialist’s luxurious apartment towards the grimy hideouts around china creek marsh ## Inkaar’s Villain Motive Shoe company executive Haridas Choudhry (Shreeram Lagoo) gets a ransom call during his anniversary party, framed alone in the room. > he’s framed alone and in another room, the sole recipient of bad news in a houseful of people having a good time ## Animals’ Political Focus Ben Affleck’s Netflix film Animals follows LA mayoral candidate Mark Kimball (Affleck) as he crafts a clean campaign image amid infidelity and a kidnapped nanny’s boyfriend’s son. > los angeles mayoral candidate mark kimball (affleck) crafts a squeaky clean profile even as his home life is fractured by infidelities ## Animals’ Climactic Shift Animals skips Kurosawa’s investigation, ending with Mark Kimball framing himself as a hero who saved a child for political gain. > spinning the story into a major political win by framing himself as a hero who saved a child ## Key takeaway Ben Affleck’s Netflix film Animals reworks Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low but focuses on political optics rather than the original’s class struggle.