Digger Reviews See Critics Disagree on if Tom Cruise Is Brilliant or Hammy in New Movie

Tom Cruise‘s performance in Digger has sparked a major divide among critics. Some reviews have praised his committed and unusual turn, while others find his performance too loud and theatrical. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new film has also divided critics over its satire, humor, and ambitious story.

Digger stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a wealthy Texas oilman whose actions lead to a massive environmental crisis. The dark comedy also features Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film will arrive in theaters on October 2, 2026.

Tom Cruise’s performance is only part of the debate surrounding Digger

The positive reactions have highlighted how far Cruise commits to the character. Matt Neglia of NextBestPicture called it Cruise’s “most dynamic and interesting role in years.” He praised the actor’s work but felt the film did not give him enough room to explore the character with greater depth and nuance. Clayton Davis similarly praised Cruise and John Goodman for “delivering stellar work.”

USA Today‘s review also praised Cruise’s performance, adding to the reactions that see his transformation as one of the film’s major strengths. Cruise’s appearance as Digger includes extensive prosthetic makeup and a deliberately larger-than-life presentation. Critic Brian Truitt called Cruise “the best thing about Iñárritu’s latest effort.”

However, Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman takes a much more critical view. He describes Digger as a bombastic satire that attempts to become the “Dr. Strangelove” of climate change. Gleiberman argues that the film replaces much of its potential humor with “in-your-face overacting,” making Cruise’s broad performance part of the problem.

ScreenDaily is also critical of Cruise’s portrayal. Its review says the actor “fails to convince” as the bullish Texas oilman and describes Iñárritu’s film as an ambitious misfire. The review also questions whether the film successfully balances its different tones and ideas.

IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich is particularly critical of the film’s comedy. He writes that “Digger” is “a hat on a hat on a hat on a hat,” arguing that Iñárritu keeps adding layers to the satire without making them work together. Ehrlich also says the film “should be fun,” but “it’s not even funny,” and compares its broad satire to “an IMAX-sized JibJab cartoon.”

Source: Comingsoon.net