Digger

Digger is a polarizingly theatrical tour de force from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and leading man Tom Cruise. It pokes fun at a subject matter we all need to think much more seriously about, the fate of our environment, but does not provide the satisfying answer that many, myself included, would’ve loved to hear. Instead, it shines a spotlight onto the ugly truth of our individual helplessness against large organizations and raises the question, “can art really make a difference in the world we live in?” I’d like to think so, and I also think this was a spectacular movie.

I’m ashamed to say that the only other Iñárritu film I’ve seen is Birdman (2014), Digger’s close cousin. After this, I want nothing more than to binge-watch all of his work.

The trailer, which I have seen countless times in the many months that I’ve been anticipating this film, masterfully gives away very little of its true nature. It’s a rather Wes Andersonian portrayal of Tom Cruise in a farce about an oil tycoon wholly disinterested in the environmental havoc he is solely responsible for. It’s so far away from Ethan Hunt, the character we all know and love from the MI films, which is exactly what had me so excited. I couldn’t wait to see him do something different, something big.

Fun fact: Tom Cruise has never won a competitive Oscar.

He was awarded an honorary Oscar at the 16th Governors Awards, but never at a ceremony for a specific role. While still incredibly prestigious, and, really, nobody can hold a candle to his career, an honorary Oscar sorta feels like a participation trophy. I think Tom deserves a real victory, and with Digger, I think he can.

Digging for gold

Led by one of the most recognizable names and faces in Hollywood, accompanied by Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Jesse Plemons, shot on VistaVision, and captained by a legendary director revered by many, the Digger vehicle promises the movie of a lifetime. You’d think with a lineup like that, this movie would be a smash hit from the get-go — “the talk of the town.” Unfortunately, no.

As of this review, it’s sitting at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes with some singing its praises and others feeling let down. It’s divisive to say the least… It’s 2026, name something that isn’t.

There’s a lot to like about this film. It starts off really strong. A unique and hauntingly beautiful opening track from composer Cosmo Sheldrake pairs beautifully with the sprawling shots of nature and serenity, which, as it turns out, is the view from Digger Rockwell’s (Cruise) opulent mansion. In a setup that feels almost Citizen Kane-y, Iñárritu then proposes why we should care about his protagonist; Digger literally “saves the cat,” his elderly, on-death’s-doorstep cat named Maggie, whom he cares for and feeds with his grotesque overgrown coke nail. It’s all perfect, too perfect. It’s a textbook, almost bland setup executed just about flawlessly. But alas, there is more to it than meets the eye.

I don’t want to spoil it, because I want you to go see this for yourself, despite the reviews. But there’s a point maybe 20 minutes in when the rules of the film’s world completely change. I think this is the point where it might lose a lot of people; I was really confused when it happened, outraged, even. I thought they had such a good thing going and decided to completely spin it on its head. You’ll see for yourself. Point being, such a stark change is really disruptive; it quite literally took me out of the narrative, and I started looking at the walls around me, analyzing the metatext, rather than giving myself over to the screen. It’s a swing, a big one. In my opinion, it’s a welcome one, and by persevering through the confusion I ended up having a great time.

I can understand how the subject matter, even in jest, might not be what people really want to hear. That the world is run by a handful of men who have the power to harvest all of mother nature’s resources. That, at any moment, there could be a global catastrophe where the little people (you and I) are absolutely powerless to do anything about it. That the picture of the future offered here is very, very glum, and that we’re on our way there as we speak. But I believe films like these are important for that very reason, to expose us to the things we don’t want to think about, that we, on another day, might relegate to the back of our minds. It’s not a pick-me-up. It’s funny, but you’re almost laughing at your own despair. That’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you give it a chance, you might find that you’re thinking differently than you were before, and that’s really what art is all about.

In the end, it reminded me a lot of Birdman, which is why I mentioned it earlier. If you’ve seen that and liked it, I’m sure this will be right up your alley.

Analyzing the craft

This movie looks absolutely gorgeous. I didn’t get to see it in IMAX, but I would’ve loved to; if you get the chance, absolutely go. It was shot on VistaVision, which, put simply, is a high-quality film format that results in superb image clarity and grain. Same kind of stuff some excellent old movies were shot on, and more recently One Battle After Another (2025), The Brutalist (2024), and more. It makes the film feel nostalgic, despite its contemporary/near-future setting, and like an important movie.

The color palette is also a bold choice. It’s not a super vibrant or saturated visual language, but the film stock and color grade manage to strike a pleasing balance between colorful and dreary. There’s a simplicity to that which I found so unique. I felt that it really reflected the world the characters were operating in. It’s serene and placid when we’re seeing nature, but gray and drab when we’re confined to buildings and bureaucracy.

Tom motherfu**ing Cruise

I gotta say, he absolutely blew me away in this role. At one point, Jesse Plemons’ character says to Tom something to the effect of “You really understand Digger.” That might not make a lot of sense if you haven’t seen the movie, but it really put a smile on my face, because watching this person I’ve known as an action movie star who’s been in the press since before I was born become something so different, so comedic yet so seriously committed… it’s a work of art, it’s brilliant.

I might just be a sucker for an underdog story (not that you could really call Tom Cruise an underdog in any sense of the word), but I really want Tom to win his Oscar. Maybe it doesn’t matter to him? Maybe nobody really cares? I’m not quite sure why I do, but I do.

Score

I’d never heard of Cosmo Sheldrake before seeing him in the end credits. But I sure as hell heard what he can do in the first five minutes of Digger. “Avian Elegy” is the name of the opening track and it’s a tune built around the chirps and chitters of birdsong. It’s stuck with me ever since. It’s so inventive and unique, perfectly matches the opening shot, and frames the rest of the narrative. We’re dealing with nature, meddled with by the hands of humanity.

Cinematography

Lastly, the camera. When we’re seeing characters interact, the camera is just about always on a wide-angle lens below the characters’ eye lines. It’s very theatrical, fabricated, almost surgical. There’s an invisible barrier between us and the characters’ true emotions. We’re sitting right there in the audience, watching them on stage, which makes a whole lot of sense when you know the reveal. Again, no spoilers.

Parting thoughts

Sometimes ignorance is bliss; knowing how expensive the film was, or who worked on it, or the technical rigor that went into making it can make you start to feel almost sympathetic. It can make you forgive the film for some of its inconsistencies, because you’re thinking about the world around it instead of the world it’s presenting. I find that I do that sometimes, which, I guess, is why I tend to rate a lot of films highly. That very well might be the case for this film.

But this film knows it’s showing you its seams. Much like Birdman, it’s choosing to pull you out with the reveal, to show you how the sausage is made. And all of the elements working around that fact are working, most notably performances, score, and cinematography.

Go see this movie; it really is a fun time. Give yourself over to the narrative and allow it to be what it is, not what you hoped it to be. If anything, go see Tom Cruise put on a funny accent and become someone completely unrecognizable.