Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "Digger" is a much-ballyhooed return to non-franchise acting for Tom Cruise. There's been posters hanging up in theaters for months, trailers announcing the upcoming trailer, and endless speculation surrounding what "Digger" might actually be about. Cruise, who has been making nothing but "Mission Impossible" or "Top Gun" sequels since 2017's "American Made", was poised to make a grand comeback to original characters, and early predictions had him in the lead spot to collect shiny trophies at the end of the year.
And then people started seeing the movie.
Dismissing "Digger" as an outright failure is disingenuous - as tempting as it may be - because it's a big studio movie that deserves praise for being bold and original. But, a daring piece of art doesn't always mean the final product is good and worth seeing. For all of its artistic merit and the pedigrees behind and in front of the camera, "Digger" is nothing short of an endurance test.
As the movie opens, oil tycoon Digger Rockwell (Cruise, unrecognizable underneath soon-to-be Oscar-nominated makeup) is being briefed from his palatial home about a looming ecological disaster. Digger isn't interested in being told what he should do or what the morally correct thing to do is, but the disaster is set to be so catastrophic that it's impossible to not act. He convenes with President Compson (John Goodman, very purposefully over-the-top) and timid but rational advisor Ganesh (Riz Ahmed) to figure out the next steps. Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemmons, and Sandra Hüller, especially, round out the cast in largely thankless roles.
That's "Digger" at its most simplified. After the initial scene is set, Iñárritu throws the audience off balance and recontextualizes the entire movie and what is really going on. Some reviewers are giving away what is really happening during the movie, but it's better to go in not knowing because the disorientation and recalibration is part of the experience - for better or for worse.
Iñárritu is a filmmaker who has always tried to push the limits of what his stars - and audience - can handle. "Digger" is a different kind of challenge for the viewer, however, because Iñárritu has made a two-plus hour movie about How We Live Now and expects everyone to sit in awe of the spectacle, while being reminded about the impending doom of climate change and how the ultra wealthy just might not have everyone's best intentions at hand.
The most frustrating part of sitting through "Digger" is the indication that the movie is providing an urgent message for all to hear. It's not that the topic isn't urgent; it's that for all its lathered-on profundity, "Digger" is puddle-deep. It doesn't confront any of its messages with any depth, but throws out key words out and then wraps it in a satirical bow. In an effort to be seen as a new age "Dr. Strangelove," Iñárritu's film crumbles under its own self-imposed sense of importance.
The craft on display is impressive - though the cinematography by the immensely talented and multi-Oscar-winning Emmanuel Lubezki can be punishing - but the heavy-handed screenplay and Cruise's knowingly-cartoonish performance become a distraction from the artistry. Iñárritu wanted to make a movie for our times but somehow only captured the pomposity of something Adam McKay ("The Big Short," "Vice" and "Don't Look Up") would make, coupled with the quirky visuals and humor of Wes Anderson. That might be a selling point for some and a large, flashing warning sign for others. Consider it a warning.
| Movie title | Digger |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2026 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This quirky endurance test of a film partners Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Tom Cruise in a "big message" outing that's punishingly self-important but ultimately puddle-deep. |
