Critics are sharply divided on Tom Cruise’s new satirical black comedy “Digger,” with some calling it baffling and unpleasant while others praise its bravery and visual inventiveness.
Tom Cruise’s latest film, “Digger,” directed by Oscar‑winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, debuted for press members. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy tycoon who must avert a global environmental disaster caused by a malfunctioning oil rig. The supporting cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons, and the picture opens in theaters on Oct. 1 from Warner Bros.
Reactions from film journalists are split. Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture calls it Cruise’s most dynamic role in years but says the narrative is imbalanced in favor of “zany but empty theatrics.” Variety awards pundit Clayton Davis respects Iñárritu’s swing, noting “stellar work” from Cruise and Goodman and impressive production design, yet adds that “not all the dots connect.” Joey Magidson (Radar) and Edward Douglas (critic) label the movie a “mess” and predict a “horrendous CinemaScore.” Mike Ryan describes it as “unpleasant.”
Conversely, IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill praises the film as “one of the most visually inventive, conceptually audacious, and unpredictable studio movies ever made,” while Anne Thompson calls it “a brave and gorgeous art film” that may resonate with the Academy’s crafts and acting categories. Social‑media comments echo this divide, with some viewers noting solid performances and others finding the satire “insufferable.”
The available reporting does not indicate how general audiences will receive the film or how the split critical response will affect any awards campaign, leaving those outcomes uncertain.