For as divisive as this film will inevitably be, it’s just nice to see Tom Cruise doing some non-blockbuster acting again.
“Digger” follows an oil tycoon (Tom Cruise) who races to control the narrative after one of his rigs causes a global catastrophe. Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons also star, while • Alejandro G. Iñárritu directs and co-writes.
I like Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s two Best Director-winning films “Birdman” and “The Revenant” (the former of which also won Best Picture), and was excited when it was announced that his latest film would star Tom Cruise (in his first non-blockbuster franchise role since “American Made” in 2017). I think being in “Top Gun” and “Mission: Impossible” has made some people forget that when he wants to be, Cruise is one of the better actors of his generation, and while “Digger” may not rank as one of his best performances, it’s certainly one of his more flamboyant ones.
One of Tom Cruise’s more underrated attributes are his comedic chops, not only in thinks like “Tropic Thunder” but even dramas like “Collateral.” “Digger” allows Cruise to chew scenery like he hasn’t gotten to in years, all in pale makeup, a thinning wig, and a fat suit, and you can tell he’s enjoying himself. While the character of Digger is a bit of cartoon, Cruise doesn’t play him like a cartoon caricature. Digger doesn’t believe he’s a super villain leading the world toward destruction, and Iñárritu doesn’t write him with that perception, either. Digger is larger-than-life but at the end of the day he views what he’s doing as a necessary evil for the modern world, and I acknowledges that he is to blame for the ecological disaster that his drilling has caused (though his motivations as to why he owns up to it is another story).
The film’s sneaky MVP is John Goodman, who plays the easily convinced President of the United States. Goodman has some great comedic line deliveries, and it’s nice to see him back on the big screen after nearly half a decade away.
At times the film feels like Wes Anderson with its comedic framing and edits, and at other times like an Adam McKay because of its heavy-handed political commentary. The film tackles themes like Big Oil and government corruption, but also what art means to humanity and how people should be allowed to laugh, even in the face of tragedy.
“Digger” will be no means be for everyone, as some will find it too self-congratulatory and doing the very thing it’s accusing some of its characters of doing (pointing out problems without actually offering an answer as to how to fix them). There is also a plotline introduced about 30 minutes in that will take some viewers incredibly by surprise, and may be too much to get over. I think I overall liked the reveal, but do wish they did more with it up front instead of waiting until the third act (you will absolutely know what I’m talking about when you see it).
“Digger” doesn’t have the haunting ending (or final shot) of “The Odyssey,” and it most certainly is not hopecore like “Project Hail Mary,” but it does have some messages about the current state of humanity, and if our planet can be saved given our current lifestyles. The whole cast is up to the task (although Sandra Hüller feels a bit wasted), and thanks to a (comically large) $180 million budget the production design is all top notch. I could see myself watching this again and viewing it as a masterpiece, and at the same time rewatch it and wonder what I ever saw in it to warrant a positive review. But for now, I walked out of “Digger” having laughed and enjoyed a lot of what it had to say, and in an age of IPs, reboots, and legacy sequels it’s nice to get something fresh in theaters.
Critics Rating: 7/10
