Tom Cruise’s highly anticipated Digger has received its first reactions from film critics, and the response is proving to be far more divisive than expected. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the Warner Bros. film has been praised by some critics as an ambitious and visually daring experiment, while others have struggled with its unusual tone and sprawling satire.
The film stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, an extremely wealthy oil tycoon whose drilling operation triggers an environmental catastrophe. He then attempts to convince the world that he can become its savior before the disaster he helped create spirals further out of control. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy.
Critics Are Split Over Tom Cruise’s Most Unusual Role
The strongest agreement among early reactions appears to be Cruise himself. Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture described the performance as one of Cruise’s most dynamic in years, although he felt the film’s theatricality sometimes prevented the character from receiving greater depth. Variety awards editor Clayton Davis similarly praised Cruise and John Goodman while acknowledging that the movie does not always bring its ideas together.
Other critics have been considerably harsher. Awards Radar’s Joey Magidson called Digger “a mess,” while Mike Ryan described the film as “unpleasant.” Edward Douglas also questioned whether the movie succeeds despite recognizing what Cruise and Iñárritu were attempting.
The more enthusiastic reactions, however, suggest that Digger could become one of the year’s most unusual studio releases. IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill praised it as visually inventive and conceptually audacious, while Anne Thompson called it “a brave and gorgeous art film” that could appeal more strongly to Academy voters than mainstream audiences.
The polarized response is particularly notable because Digger represents a major departure for Cruise. After spending much of the past decade as the face of blockbuster franchises, he returns to an original, adult-oriented project that gives him a dramatically different character to play. The transformation includes extensive prosthetics, thinning white hair, a large stomach and a Southern accent.
Cruise previously revealed that his makeup process initially took around six hours before the production reduced it to less than an hour through repeated practice. The actor’s commitment has become part of the film’s appeal, especially as Iñárritu pushes him into territory far removed from Ethan Hunt and Maverick.
Digger is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on October 2, 2026, with international releases beginning September 30. Warner Bros. is also releasing the film in IMAX, with the movie shot entirely in VistaVision.
