out of 10
The short version
Our Digger review comes with a split reaction, so let's start with what's easy to say: nobody else would have made this movie. Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Digger (2026) is a big, strange, studio-funded black comedy about a powerful oil tycoon who causes a disaster and then tries to prove he's the hero who can fix it. Tom Cruise is nearly unrecognizable in the lead, and he's committed in a way we haven't seen from him in years. The film looks gorgeous, too. The trouble is everything else. The jokes rarely land, the dialogue is mostly shouted, and the message is delivered with a sledgehammer. It's never dull, and it's easy to admire the nerve. It's much harder to enjoy. We're giving it 5 out of 10.
What Digger Is About
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy Texas oil tycoon. After a catastrophe he set in motion threatens the world, Digger races to prove that he's humanity's savior before the damage destroys everything. Around him is a loaded cast. Riz Ahmed plays Ganesh, a scientist who assists the President, John Goodman plays that President, and Sandra Hüller plays Digger's half-sister and business partner. Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, and Emma D'Arcy fill out the world. The film is pitched as a comedy about power, greed, and responsibility, and the marketing has leaned into how chaotic it is. There's also a structural twist that we won't spoil, because how you feel about it will shape your whole reaction.
What Works
Cruise is the main reason to go. He's buried under heavy makeup and a paunchy, scruffy look, and he plays Digger with a manic, hammy energy that's fun to watch. The film is at its best when the volume drops and he gets room to play something quieter. A few of his big speeches land, and it's the kind of role fans have wanted him to try for years. The look is also special. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography is moody and thick with atmosphere, and the film was shot on 35 mm VistaVision, which gives the images real texture. The production design is inventive, and some sequences are just plain impressive to look at. On a technical level, this is a handsome, expensive piece of filmmaking. Riz Ahmed is a standout in support, and even critics who disliked the film have singled him out. There's also something to be said for the ambition. It's rare to see a studio back a swing this odd and this large, and we'd rather see a movie like this miss than see another safe sequel.
What Doesn't
The biggest problem is that Digger is not funny. It plays like a comedy, with over-the-top performances and broad, theatrical energy, but the laughs just aren't there. Many critics have said the same, and we agree. Without the jokes, the film has a long way to fall, and it does. The satire is the next issue. The film clearly wants to say something about corporate power, environmental destruction, and political cowardice, but the points are obvious and repeated. Much of the dialogue is yelled, and volume gets mistaken for depth. The film often seems very pleased with itself, which makes the shallow messaging even harder to take. Tone is a constant struggle. Digger swings between broad comedy, disaster-movie gloom, and sincere drama, and it never fully settles on any of them. When the film does try for something emotional, the jokes work against it. We kept wishing it had trusted the drama more. At roughly two hours and eight minutes, it also feels long for what it has to say. The central gimmick stretches thin, and the film seems a little too in love with its own world. We won't spoil the Digger ending, but expect it to divide the audience.
Performances
This is Tom Cruise's show. It's a big, bold, physical performance that leans on prosthetics, costume, and sheer commitment, and it's a world away from his action-hero image. When the movie lets him play real emotion, he shows range that we haven't seen in a while. When it asks for pure cartoon, he does that too. The script doesn't always give him enough to work with, but the effort is clear. Riz Ahmed brings welcome grounding as Ganesh, and John Goodman is fun as the dictatorial President. Sandra Hüller is an interesting presence as Emma, though the large ensemble means a lot of strong actors get limited screen time.
Is Digger Worth Watching?
It depends on what you want. If you're a Tom Cruise fan who wants to see him try something truly different, or a fan of Iñárritu's more excessive, experimental side, there's plenty to chew on. It's also a good pick if you like movies that start arguments afterward. Skip it if you want a fun, easy comedy, a sharp satire, or a tidy story. The film is rated R for pervasive language, and that's not an exaggeration. Critics have been harsh, with Rotten Tomatoes sitting at roughly 52% and Metacritic in the mid-40s at the time of writing, and opening-weekend audiences gave it a CinemaScore of C+. We think it's a more interesting failure than those numbers suggest, but it is still a failure more often than not.
Final verdict
Digger (2026)
Digger is a loud, ambitious, and stubbornly strange film that has a great lead performance and gorgeous photography but too little wit and too little to say. It's rarely boring, and that counts for something. But a movie this angry about the world shouldn't feel this shallow. Come for Cruise, and keep your expectations in check.
Movie Details
- Title: Digger (2026)
- Release date: October 2, 2026 (London premiere on September 22)
- Runtime: about 128 minutes (listings vary slightly)
- Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
- Writers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, from a story by Iñárritu, Berman, and Jez Butterworth
- Main cast: Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Emma D'Arcy
- Genre: Satirical black comedy
- Rating: R, for pervasive language
- Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
- Where to watch: In theaters, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and select VistaVision screenings. A streaming or home-release date hasn't been confirmed.
