How do you review a movie like "Digger," the latest offering from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Tom Cruise without absolutely spoiling the entire thing? And how do I — a conservative — explain to my audience of largely conservative readers that I didn't actually hate it, and it might even be worth a watch at some point?
That was the challenge I faced going into this review because half of what makes "Digger" interesting is the framing of the story — framing that spoils the plot if it's given away.
So I'll start with the good things, chief among them being Tom Cruise's performance as the titular Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon who loves his cat to the point of cruelty and whose proclivities lead to a chain of disasters. Critics of the film believed he was meant to be a nod to Elon Musk, which makes no sense because few have done more to move us away from fossil fuels in sustainable, practical ways than Musk. Either way, Cruise delivers a powerhouse performance and I wish he would do more daring roles that require him to act like he does here. Yes, the "Mission: Impossible" franchise is great, and "Top Gun Maverick" was a fun ride, but unlike many action stars, Cruise can actually act. He was great in Rob Reiner's "A Few Good Men," and as Les Grossman in Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder."
John Goodman is also brilliant as President Compson, who came off — to me at least — as more of a mockery of Joe Biden (plagued with illness) than of the obvious one, President Trump. It was nice to see Goodman, alarmingly thinner, back on the big screen in something interesting.
Iñárritu also knows how to make beautiful movies. The shots, the lighting, the atmosphere were all intriguing to watch. The feel reminded me of Wes Anderson's offerings, quirky and richly colorful. There were also strong vibes of "Dr. Strangelove" or mockumentaries like "A Mighty Wind" (albeit with a much darker tone).
That being said, it was clear "Digger" was meant to ruffle feathers and it will not be everyone's cup of tea.
10 important facts about Digger that YOU missed:
— Art Hits Hard (@nightwriter22) October 3, 2026
1. Digger is a deliberate 'f**k you to the audience' kind of film.
2. Digger is not a comfortable crowd-pleaser; it is high-art hostility.
3. Digger is not designed to be enjoyed.
4. Digger is engineered to be an antagonistic… pic.twitter.com/1GgXlhfRj5
If you're into those sort of art house style films, I guess "Digger" will speak to you on a different level. But even though I enjoyed the film, I don't enjoy this sort of pretentious snobbery that tells the audience we're just too stupid to understand what's going on here.
Audiences are responding by simply not going. There were seven other people at the theater when I went Tuesday night, and the film is projected to lose $250 million.
‘DIGGER’ is reportedly projected to lose $250M - one of the biggest Hollywood bombs ever.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 7, 2026
(Source: https://t.co/7pHanvoQEy) pic.twitter.com/G1DSbromTd
Now, it could get a second life on streaming or DVD/BluRay, as other films that went on to be cult classics have. Time will tell on that.
Cruise doesn't strike me as the type to dump on his audience, however. He's truly Hollywood's last great star, who avoids politicizing things publicly.
DIGGER is officially in theaters and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists. Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work, and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable and I’m so proud of what we… pic.twitter.com/3YBblCnL3E
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) October 3, 2026
The plot, as I mentioned, does revolve around environmental issues and with a not-too-subtle hand. That being said, there're no real likable characters in the movie — even the supposed "good guys" aren't endearing — and if you remember that every single doom-and-gloom prediction of the environmentalists hasn't come to fruition, the satirical and farcical nature of the film takes the wind out of its political premise more than it elevates it. This is like a black comedy version of "The Day After Tomorrow," with about as much scientific realism as the next offering from Marvel.
Speaking of Marvel, the best thing for this film is that — for all its flaws and its attempt at propagating The Message — it is not a franchise film. There will be no "Digger 2: Electric Boogaloo." There will be no Phase Three or television spinoffs of varying degrees of quality. Like "Iron Lung" and "Obsession" it's the sort of stand-alone film we need more of, not less. It was a one and done that took a big swing and while it didn't always make contact with the ball, it was aiming in the right direction.
