Digger First Reviews: An Ambitious but Muddled Satire Led by a Fully Committed Tom Cruise
Critics say Alejandro G. Iñárritu's latest is unlike anything we've seen from him before, but it's sure to divide audiences.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning writer and director of The Revenant and Birdman, is back in the awards conversation with Digger, a dark political satire starring Tom Cruise, arriving in theaters this weekend. The first reviews of the highly anticipated movie are now online, calling it everything from the best of the year to a disappointing misfire. Cruise’s over-the-top cartoonish performance as the title character is also up for debate, while comparisons to Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove abound, whether out of praise or derision.
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Here’s what critics are saying about Digger:
Does it live up to expectations?
It’s a veritable masterclass in filmmaking.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Nothing could have prepared me for the 129-minute entertaining ride I found myself on.
– Allison Rose, FlickDirect
Digger unfortunately feels as arrogant and pompous as its protagonist, with Iñárritu committing one of the greatest sins a director can commit: believing his film will always be smarter than its audience.
– Sophia Ciminello, Awards Watch
[It’s] such a dull and outdated endeavor that has all of Iñárritu’s most frustrating sensibilities on full blast.
– Joshua Mbonu, Geek Vibes Nation
It would not surprise me in the least if this movie receives an F CinemaScore.
– Joey Magidson, Awards Radar
Is it this generation’s Dr. Strangelove?
Digger borrows the doomsday architecture of Strangelove but leaves out the slyness, replacing it with a lavishly overscaled spectacle of browbeating.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
While Digger’s screenplay is crafted in a similar fashion, it too often comes across as a “try-hard.”
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Will it remind us of any other movies?
It’s almost impossible not to view this as a shallow amalgamation of two of Academy Award winner Paul Thomas Anderson’s most acclaimed films, There Will Be Blood and One Battle After Another.
– Sophia Ciminello, Awards Watch
At one point, Cruise wanted to make a Les Grossman movie, and in a certain way Digger is that movie.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Is it an important movie for today?
Digger, in its full breadth of context, is a masterpiece that should be recognized as such in its current era, rather than years down the line after folks collectively decided our worsening situations (ecological, governmental and corporate) are indeed outlandish and worth laughing at.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
It ultimately isn’t the timely, radical work of satire it believes itself to be.
– Sophia Ciminello, Awards Watch
Does it effectively deliver its message?
The commentary can feel like it’s screaming at you rather than trusting you to find it.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
The film is saying that the situation we face is so dire, so on the precipice of disaster, that if you watch this movie and somehow fail to embrace its “visionary” message of apocalypse now, you’re contributing to the problem.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Like other entries in Iñárritu’s filmography (Birdman, Babel), the auteur once again succumbs to his worst impulses, over-explaining the film’s themes without trusting the audience.
– Sophia Ciminello, Awards Watch
Will it also make us laugh?
Here’s the real problem: Digger isn’t funny.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Comedic bits about the metric system being un-American or women not being present in a boardroom are low-hanging fruit that doesn’t even inspire nervous laughter from an audience.
– Sophia Ciminello, Awards Watch
Bits… aren’t funny or clever, no matter how many times the film tries to convince you they are through the occasional meta jab at its own satirical farce.
– Joshua Mbonu, Geek Vibes Nation
How is Tom Cruise’s performance?
Tom Cruise delivers a masterful, completely committed performance that reminds you just how damn good he is when asked to step outside the action-star persona that has defined this stage of his career.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
In his most inherently transformative dynamite role in a long while. What starts as what could initially be called just a role where the prosthetics are doing more acting than Cruise itself begins to unveil new layers of interiority to them as the film goes on beyond its twist.
– Joshua Mbonu, Geek Vibes Nation
Essentially a Saturday Night Live caricature, only executed with Method fullness. On its own terms, Cruise’s acting in Digger is well-played and skillfully etched. It’s fun — or, theoretically, it should be — to see him cut loose.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Is the movie just a big excuse for him to ham it up?
The movie, however unintentionally, seem[s] to be about nothing so much as Tom Cruise taking on this role, and Iñárritu erecting the edifice for him to stand on.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Regardless of where you land on Digger as a whole, his commitment is never in question.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Are there any other noteworthy performances?
Cruise isn’t close to the only standout, however, as Riz Ahmed stands toe to toe with him, and his Dr. Ganesh remains a highlight.
– Joshua Mbonu, Geek Vibes Nation
If there’s a true standout among the supporting ensemble, it’s Riz Ahmed. Ahmed matches Cruise’s intensity at full throttle.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
John Goodman is equally as strong as President Compson, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he were nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
– Allison Rose, FlickDirect
How does the movie look?
Lubezki once again demonstrates his remarkable understanding of color, movement and scale, crafting images perfectly suited to Digger’s own grandiose ambitions.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Dennis Gassner’s production design speaks volumes about the characters who inhabit these textured environments…Jacqueline West’s wardrobe is show-stopping.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Does it get a little too theatrical at the end?
Digger is overbearing, complete with a Brechtian twist that’s both jaw-dropping and head-scratching. (You think, “Are they really doing this?” Then you think, “Why are they doing this?”)
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
It’s the kind of choice that may ultimately make or break the entire movie for people, and I’m still trying to figure out exactly where I land on it, but the sheer boldness of the swing alone may be worth the price of admission.
– David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Their gimmick’s twist works, furthering their urgent commentary that satire is what we need to grapple with harsh realities and mind-numbing insanity.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Is it like anything else we’ve seen?
The film lets you know in every way that it’s offering audiences something different from what they’re used to seeing.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Digger is in theaters on October 2, 2026. Buy tickets on Fandango.
