Tom Cruise used to be the kind of actor who would take big swings with his roles and shock audiences, long before he became the action hero who led major franchises like Mission: Impossible. Now, he’s back in his character actor bag with the latest film from Alejandro González Iñárritu, Digger.
The film sees Cruise star as Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon who is faced with an impossible decision for a rich man: Save the world or lose an incredible sum of money. His personally financed oil rig stationed on an ice cap causes the ice to break free, heading straight for Europe, set to cause mass destruction for those in its path. As the wealthy often do, the issue isn’t about the lives that will be lost but rather the optics of a situation like this. That, mixed with Digger’s inability to take the situation seriously, leads the audience into a high-energy and complex story of how far the white rich men in power are willing to go to line their own pockets.
Part of what is challenging about Digger is how Alejandro Iñárritu sets up this story. Not that it is hard to grasp or contend with. The problem is that there is an element to how the film is framed that is so good that you don’t want it to be spoiled. The design and feel of Digger work to make this more than just another ‘rich men will destroy the world’ story. However, the movie’s twist is so beautiful to watch unfold that you can’t really talk about it with anyone unless they have also experienced what Iñárritu is doing here.
Tom Cruise Delivers a Beautifully Nuanced Performance
Whenever Cruise gets to have a little fun with his roles, we all benefit from it. It’s your Les Grossman from Tropic Thunder moments or your Lestat de Lioncourt from Interview With the Vampire. Outside of his action hero comfort zone, Cruise gets to be just a little bit unhinged, and audiences cling to that. Riz Ahmed’s supporting performance as a frantic scientist and an angry Sandra Hüller in Digger allow Cruise to go to extremes, but Iñárritu’s surprise twist to the movie gives so much more to what Cruise is doing as well.
It isn’t a surprise that the cast of Digger is brilliant. There are multiple nominated actors in this movie. Even when Jesse Plemons shows up in the film, you’re captivated by his stoic and eerie character. All of it leads to something truly magical for Cruise as Digger. Yes, John Goodman and Michael Stuhlbarg are incredible because they always are. Again, the problem with Digger comes from trying to keep what Iñárritu did with this story hidden from audiences.
Digger Is a Cautionary Tale That The Powers That Be Keep Ignoring
We have heard this story before. The rich are using the earth for their advantage, it is going to hurt the rest of us, and we’re going to be left broken while the elite get to thrive in the world they destroyed. We know this cautionary tale. But Iñárritu has given us the chance to see it through art. Breathtakingly beautiful art, but still. And it helps to ground the more outrageous parts of this story, like Digger’s dedication to his very old cat as well as wearing cowboy boots with his pyjamas.
The elements of Iñárritu’s story that resonate are the ones that should be experienced by an audience without someone spoiling it for them. Not that spoiler culture should exist for a movie like Digger, but because the “twist” is so captivating to watch throughout the movie, everyone should get to experience that magic and witness what Iñárritu and Cruise built.
You can see Digger in theaters on October 2.
- Release Date
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October 2, 2026
- Runtime
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128 minutes
- Director
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Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Writers
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Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Sabina Berman, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone
- Producers
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Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Michael Sharp, Tom Cruise
Cast
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Tom Cruise
Digger Rockwell
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- Unhinged Tom Cruise
- Art
- Robot cat
- Shovels
- A twist we all have to wait to talk about because we want to talk about it now
