"Digger:" a Bomb Today, a Classic Tomorrow

[the following review contains minor early spoilers]

For the film nerds of the world, one of 2026's most anticipated release was Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Digger, led by none other than Tom Cruise. With a budget just shy of $200 million, the star power of Cruise, and one of the world's leading directors at the helm, Digger seemed like a safe bet for one of the year's most successful films. However, the movie's opening this past weekend told a different story. Not only has it failed to capture the hearts of critics, it is already on track to become one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. Suddenly the film everyone couldn't wait to come out is becoming every critic's new favorite punching bag. So what went wrong here? What is it about the film that's not connecting with fans? Today, I'm here to tell you why everyone is wrong about Digger.

Digger is the eighth feature film from 4-time Oscar winning director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu. It follows billionaire oil magnate, Digger Rockwell (Cruise) whose collapsing oil rig in Greenland triggers the worst climate crisis the world has ever seen. The rest of the film sees Digger, the American government, and the public at large reacting to the hellish greed of a few individuals that eventually led to the end of the world. The film also features a supporting cast of John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Emma D'Arcy, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Sophie Wilde. Digger is the final release from Warner Brothers before the studio was acquired by Skydance.

While the plot seems generally straight-forward, it is actually the main problem most viewers have with the film. That is because twenty minutes in, it is revealed that the entire story is actually an elaborate stage play named "Fossil Fools" with Tom Cruise and company all playing actors...playing characters. Suddenly, certain unorthodox production design choices start to make sense, including the presence of a very obvious cat puppet. This play is a comedic historical retelling of the exact environmental disaster that the real Digger Rockwell caused two decades prior. This twist is what is making or breaking the film for a lot of people. At first, it feels like the stakes have been slashed in half, if this is all just a play, why should we care? It wasn't until the film was over that I began to appreciate Digger's one-of-a-kind format. There's no denying that it's a hard pill to swallow, but those patient enough will be rewarded a unique cinematic experience by the time the credits roll. The best way I can describe it is a mix between Dr. Strangelove and Iñárittu's Birdman, both in subject matter and sheer ambition.

Make no mistake about it, Digger cost a boatload of money and it shows, it really shows. The production design is something to behold, comparable in sheer majesty and inventiveness to that of 2023's Poor Things. The work PDs Dennis Gassner and Richard L. Johnson were able to accomplish is something that will be fondly remembered for years to come. All of which is complimented by the camerawork of Emmanuel Lubezki, proving once again that he is one of the finest cinematographers working today. Regardless of how one might feel about the movie, Digger has the kind of creativity and grandiosity that keeps us coming back to the cinema, a century after pictures first learned how to move.

If there's one thing critics and audience members can agree on, it's that Digger has some of the best performances of the year. John Goodman plays a delightfully evil President Compson, whose astonishing greed and lack of accountability is sure to remind viewers of another certain U.S. President, or rather a few... If Riz Ahmed does not get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Dr. Ganesh, there is no justice in the world. He plays the straight man in this topsy-turvy world, a stand-in for every non-Billionaire in the audience who wants to take every character and shake them by the shoulders. He approaches the character with a simultaneous earnestness and sense of humor that compliment the script beautifully. There is not a single weak performance in the film, but the crown jewel of Digger is easily Tom Cruise's performance in the titular role. He completely disappears into not only Digger Rockwell but the stage actor playing him as well. Cruise absolutely radiates passion for the role, taking both the character and the story extremely seriously. It's safe to say that the race for Best Actor this year just got a hell of a lot tighter...

Despite only being out for a single weekend, Digger is already proving to be one of the most divisive films in recent memory. But as someone who went in with an open mind, and a love for the moving image, I can't help but be in awe of its sheer ambition and creative risks. It's not a project. that is going to resonate with everyone, but it tells an important and necessary story through an artistic vision that is truly one of a kind. Love it or hate it, you won't find anything out there quite like Digger. While it may not end up making a lot of money, and critics remain contentious, I can't help but find myself rooting for Digger. Every divisive creative choice was made out of a sheer love for the storytelling power of movies. I can only hope that it's lack of box office success doesn't discourage studios from taking risks on ambitious projects like this. It tells a story of how misguided wealth and greed will eventually lead to the downfall of civilization, and while studios and audiences may want to turn a blind eye, it's the unfortunate truth about the times we live in, especially with the news of the recent Skydance merger. It feels like some sort of cosmic cruel joke that the last film from Warner Bros before its merger ended up being one about the dangers of corporate greed. In a lot of ways, Digger is Warner Bros' swan song.

While Digger may not be the most popular girl at the party right now, I am confident that it will stand the test of time, and that it'll be the kind of movie that audiences will look back on and think "what do you mean critics didn't like it?!" We could very well have another Boondock Saints situation on our hands. Personally, I will be championing Digger for years to come, if the world even has that many years left.