Digger is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It might have even been so hyped that it could never live up to expectations. The script was good. As were the acting and set pieces. Though, it seems like it will continue to divide audiences for years to come. That division may even come sooner than that. Once the 2027 Oscars rolls around, there will be mass audiences of fans screaming that this movie was overrated. Or, on the other hand, the movie will get snubbed, which will disappoint the other side of the debate.
Tom Cruise is easily one of the most famous actors on the planet. He has been for the last forty years, give or take a few years. But does talent always mean popularity? He has done so many Mission Impossible movies that it almost seems as if he had been typecast. Insert Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. It almost seems like this movie was created to get Tom Cruise an Oscar. So, did he do enough to earn that Oscar nomination?
Digger Rockwell is a complex man with very few redeeming qualities. It seems as if he was born into wealth. Much of his upbringing and mannerisms have happened through no fault of his own. But there comes a point in a person’s life where they must choose to do the right thing or become a lesser person. As we get further into this film, we see that he cares about money and power more than he values human lives. It is a complex character that we are not used to seeing from Tom Cruise.
The supporting characters, who, outside of John Goodman and Riz Ahmed, are mostly unknowns, did a great job. The set designs were beautiful. Though the color pallets were a bit too dark. It still works, as it is almost in there to give a sense of irony. Come awards season, it would not be the least bit surprising if it dominates in the Oscar nominations category. It just is not good enough to win much.
This movie seemed like it was written to shock people. Outside of the camera work and performances, there is very little to like. This year has been nothing but banger after banger. It has easily been the best overall hit for hit year of at least the last three years. Sadly, however, Digger is not one of those movies. There were people talking about how there is a twist that happens that may put people off. Boy, were they not wrong. There is no reason to spoil it, so I won’t. But it seems that the twist makes everything in this movie inconsequential.
2.5 out of 5 stars
Tom Cruise turns in a top-tier career performance in this movie. It just is not enough to save a movie that is trying to say too much while doing to little to support its cause. Perhaps there is a lot of deeper meaning here. But movies are supposed to communicate their purpose enough to the audience without being both too preachy or too subtle. Oddly enough, this film suffers from both. There are times when it feels like they are looking directly into the camera and saying, “Hey, kids, rich people are bad”.
The twist is given to us so early that it was hard to stay engaged. They did a phenomenal job marketing this film while not giving much away. Credit where credit is due. In spite of this, the movie does not do enough to justify this twist having existed in the first place. The creatives behind this film could have simply taken that part out and almost nothing changes. It felt like maybe they wanted to shock people, M. Night Shyamalan style. Well, there is only one of him. And, though Iñárritu is probably more talented, being the master of the plot twist is not something he is good at. All you have to do is look at this movie for proof of that.
