Tom Cruise’s high-profile star vehicle “Digger” has finally been unveiled to members of the film press, immediately sparking a fierce and wide-ranging debate across the critical community. Directed by Academy Award winner Alejandro González Iñárritu—renowned for his celebrated work on “Birdman” and “The Revenant”—the satirical black comedy has been described by early reviewers as everything from “baffling” and “unpleasant” to “fascinating stuff.” Despite the sharp disagreement over its overall execution, film journalists generally agree on one primary takeaway: “Digger” is entirely unlike anything audiences have come to expect from a major studio release.
The film stars Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a wealthy tycoon who is forced to navigate a desperate bid to save the world after one of his massive oil rigs malfunctions, setting off an unprecedented environmental catastrophe across the globe. Alongside Cruise, the ambitious narrative boasts a star-studded supporting ensemble featuring Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, and others.
For Cruise, “Digger” represents a significant professional pivot, marking his notable return to adult-oriented dramatic and character-driven cinema after more than a decade primarily dedicated to playing high-octane action heroes. Over the last ten years, the actor’s only major non-action project has been the 2017 crime comedy “American Made.” To find a broader roster of dramatic or comedic non-action films in his filmography, moviegoers have to look back twenty years to titles like the musical “Rock of Ages,” the political drama “Lions for Lambs,” the comedy “Tropic Thunder,” and the historical thriller “Valkyrie.”
Cruise’s return to dramatic fare has drawn intense scrutiny from Oscar pundits ever since “Digger” was first announced several years ago. However, the wildly divergent initial reactions from critics suggest that the film’s unconventional nature may significantly upend his expected awards season campaign.
Prior to the film’s press screenings, much of the public anticipation surrounding “Digger” focused on Cruise’s radical physical transformation for the title role. The Hollywood icon appears unrecognizable beneath heavy layers of makeup and intricate prosthetics. The transformation process initially required a grueling six hours to apply daily. Determined to streamline the production schedule, Cruise collaborated closely with the movie’s makeup department to dramatically reduce the application time down to just one hour.
“I had a guy there with a stopwatch and I’m like, ‘OK, you see that time, six hours? By the time we’re done, we’re going to get it under an hour,’” Cruise recounted during an appearance on the “New Heights” podcast. “They were like, ‘No, I’m not doing that, it will never happen.’ I’m like, ‘OK, first of all, if you say no, you can’t do it, you will never get there. So can we agree that we’ll maybe make it a little less?’ So with each piece that was going on, it was timed and then we’d drill and practice.”
That dedication to the craft has translated into a polarized response from film critics, with opinions diverging sharply along stylistic and narrative lines.
Matt Neglia, founder of Next Best Picture, praised the film as a showcase for the star while offering a nuanced critique of its balance. “This is Tom Cruise’s most dynamic and interesting role in years,” Neglia wrote. “It provides him plenty of space to preach to the back row but not enough to dig deeper and deliver a performance that could’ve had far more power and nuance had Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ambitious narrative not been so imbalanced in favor of its zany but empty theatrics.”
Clayton Davis, awards pundit for Variety, echoed the sentiment regarding the film’s polarizing potential. “I respect the swing and what Alejandro González Iñárritu is going for,” Davis noted. “Tom Cruise and John Goodman are delivering stellar work, and the production design and cinematography are impressive. In the end, not all the dots connect, and I wish the film leaned harder into the absurdity and satire it kept reaching for. Shocker! The divide on this one is going to be wide.”
Other critics were less forgiving of the film’s eccentricities. Joey Magidson of Awards Radar bluntly labeled the movie a “mess,” asserting that “not a whole lot works here” and that “this wasn’t enjoyable.” Critic Edward Douglas shared a similarly skeptical view, stating, “I cannot say that ‘Digger’ is very good, although I could tell what Iñárritu and Cruise were going for… I expect a HORRENDOUS CinemaScore.” Journalist Mike Ryan similarly characterized the viewing experience as “unpleasant,” noting that while Cruise was clearly committing to the material, certain plot choices felt baffling.
Conversely, several critics championed the film as a daring and visionary masterwork. Jim Hemphill of IndieWire offered high praise, writing that the movie “not only showcases Tom Cruise’s best performance since ‘Magnolia,’ it’s one of the most visually inventive, conceptually audacious, and unpredictable studio movies ever made. Takes so many bold aesthetic swings it makes ‘Bardo’ look like an episode of ‘The Golden Girls.’”
Anne Thompson, also of IndieWire, championed the project as “a brave and gorgeous art film that will not score with mainstream audiences but will play best for the Academy, especially crafts and actors.” Thompson added that a specific tour-de-force amphitheater scene might ultimately help carry the leading man across the finish line.
Additional reactions shared across social media underscored the movie’s complex tonal shifts. Kristen Lopez described the project as a “very mixed bag,” noting that while the central concept is interesting, “it doesn’t trust the audience enough not to hold its hand,” though she commended the supporting work of Riz Ahmed. Scott Menzel praised the unique pairing of the director and star, while Chris Gore called the film the biggest swing of Cruise’s career, advising audiences to avoid spoilers to fully appreciate the narrative’s unpredictable turns.
Jake Hamilton of Jake’s Takes named it his favorite film of the year, describing it as “a bit Kubrick, a bit Black Mirror, but also feels original—a surreal, weird, funny study on human nature and storytelling.” Meanwhile, Ryan Swen viewed the movie as an unsuccessful yet surprisingly provocative exploration of humanity’s place in the face of an apocalypse, and The Oscar Expert lauded it as a “timely examination of powerful, wealthy narcissists manipulating the public narrative for their gain.”
“Digger” is scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on October 1, distributed by Warner Bros.
