Tom Cruise is typically known for his action flicks, but he occasionally takes on more serious roles to prove himself a true thespian. Teaming up with Birdman director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, he fully commits by plastering himself in prosthetics for the avant-garde film Digger. Is this the role of a lifetime that will finally earn him the Oscar, or is he in over his head?
Digger Rockwell is a disheveled, aging oil baron living with his dying cat in his obscenely opulent mansion. Through corrupt backroom deals with U.S. President Compson (John Goodman), his drilling empire has secured free rein to operate across Alaska and Greenland, but his gross negligence, greed, and disregard for human life trigger the collapse of an ice shelf, sending a massive iceberg toward Norway.
In a tense meeting with Digger, Compson, and the President’s Cabinet, Dr. Nirav Ganesh (Riz Ahmed) warns that a catastrophic tidal wave will devastate Europe in just three days. Instead of alerting the public and ordering evacuations, Digger and Compson bury the truth, convinced they can stop the iceberg themselves—only digging Digger deeper into a hole to save his company and his own skin.
Credit: Digger (Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures)
The movie’s marketing went to great lengths to let you know that “Tom Cruise is Digger,” and oh boy, is he. Cruise rants, yells, and screams for 80% of the runtime. Some of these bombastic moments—especially his self-aggrandizing 10-minute long-take monologue—impressively show off acting chops that we usually don’t see from the action superstar. Other scenes, however, are brash and grating, crowding out the film’s themes.
While Cruise puts on a good show, the whole ordeal feels like Oscar bait, the coveted white whale of Hollywood that has long eluded Cruise’s grasp. But you know what? This time, it just might work.
A Twist Too Far
The first act does a phenomenal job drawing you into Digger’s character and his extravagant world. It slowly establishes this kooky billionaire during a not-quite-normal morning, revealing how his hubris has steadily landed him into his current predicament. He is a deeply flawed protagonist, and you are morbidly invested in how this all plays out. But the corruption doesn’t just stop with Mr. Rockwell, as the President and his officials also are rotten.
President Compson, with his ailing health, bravado, and god complex, feels like an amalgamation of various Republican and Democratic presidents, an embarrassing epitome of a modern American president. How will these scoundrels get out of this mess? Will there be redemption? You’re on the edge of your seat to find out.
Credit: Digger (Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures)
READ: New York Threatens to Overtake California as Hollywood Film and Television Production Capital
Unfortunately, the intrigue deflates when a late-first-act twist recontextualizes everything we knew about Digger and those around him. While this new layer explains why he’s so wacky, histrionic behavior, it also undercuts the story, leaving you less invested in the character and chaos. And the twists don’t stop there. The movie plows ahead until a final twist throws you for another loop. It’s hard to further discuss the film without diving into spoilers, but suffice to say that the stakes stop mattering and the film immediately loses its luster.
“Blah, Blah, Blah” — This is Art?
Digger has much to say about climate change, corporate greed, American imperialism, Christian evangelism, and government corruption. While these are subjects worth exploring, Iñárritu’s approach results in a diatribe so pretentious and farcical that it becomes impossible to take the film seriously (some may say that’s the point). The film is a satire of satire that simply isn’t funny and uses this cloak of satire to get a pass for being obnoxious. More critically, the movie doesn’t see itself as political. In the filmmakers’ minds, climate change is settled science, so if you don’t buy into that assumption, the film has little to offer you.
Credit: Digger (Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures)
From a visual standpoint, the production design, art direction, and cinematography are the true breakout stars. The lavish sets are just as much a part of the film as the actors. Every inch of Digger’s estate is dripping with intricate wood paneling and antler decor, while the rooms of the European Parliament make you want to hit pause and explore. The cinematography’s overall grey hue suits the tone, but it’s the pops of color that break through and catch your eye. The score and sound design are intense, drowning out the dialogue in many scenes.
Digger is a visually dazzling arthouse film whose message fizzles under its heavy-handedness, snuffing out any real potency. Despite the fantastic production design and deliberately over-the-top acting, too many competing elements muddy the waters, preventing it from reaching greatness. Some will love it, some will hate it, but there’s little doubt this will become a polarizing cult classic in the years to come.
Digger opened in theaters on October 2, 2026.
RATING: 4.5/10
What’s your review of Digger? Sound off and let us know!
