Critics who have seen Tom Cruise's Digger are calling it both a Best Picture contender and a hollow misfire

Let's be honest, when you see Tom Cruise linked to a film that isn't about death-defying stunts or running full-tilt through explosions, it's already enough to raise an eyebrow. But here comes Digger, with Cruise swerving back into prestige drama territory, and, well, people definitely have opinions about it. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s latest is billed as a darkly satirical look at disaster and human nature—except the "look" might not be what anyone expected.

Digger is scheduled for a UK cinema release on 2 October 2026.

Big-Name Cast, Big Split Reactions

So what's the story here? Cruise slips into the boots of Digger Rockwell, a mega-rich oil magnate whose drilling sets off a world-scale crisis—and somehow, he becomes the only one who might put things right. It’s Iñárritu behind the camera, directing a frankly stacked line-up: Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman, and Sophie Wilde. Not your average Cruise fare, and the early awards buzz tagging Cruise as a Best Actor shoo-in only fuels the hype machine.

That’s where things get interesting. Some critics are out here declaring Digger a proper triumph. Over at ScreenRant, Liam Crowley called it "a masterpiece" and openly admitted he thought the trailers looked dreadful—yet the film swung him right round. He went so far as to tip it for Best Picture, no less. Jake Hamilton joined in, raving on social media about how Cruise’s performance belongs up there with the best of his career, mixing in references to Kubrick and Black Mirror for good measure.

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According to Jake Hamilton on his first viewing, avoiding spoilers paid off, because the sheer number of surprises floored him:

DIGGER is my favorite film of ‘26 — I avoided spoilers, so the surprises had an incredible impact. A bit Kubrick, a bit BLACK MIRROR but also feels original — a surreal, weird, funny study on (human) nature and storytelling. @TomCruise’s performance ranks among his career best.

The Marmite Factor: Not for Everyone

Of course, not all reviews were keen on Iñárritu’s latest "swing". Anne Thompson from IndieWire conceded it’s "a brave and gorgeous art film"—but flagged, in no uncertain terms, that mainstream audiences probably won’t be keen. She saw it as more of an Academy play, especially for crafts and actors, though reckoned critics would be at odds over Cruise’s work. Matt Neglia at Next Best Picture admired the technical side and Cruise’s effort in what he called the actor's most dynamic role in ages, before swiftly labelling the whole thing "a hollow misfire". Mike Ryan summed his own view up as "generally unpleasant".

Others took up positions somewhere in the messy middle. Hoai-Tran Bui at Inverse admitted to finding plenty she liked—including Cruise’s lead turn—but also a number of things she couldn’t stand, cheekily saying she now gets why people complain about Iñárritu. Variety's Clayton Davis applauded the ambition and certain performances, but pointed out it doesn't all quite hang together. Joey Magidson at Awards Radar was even less enchanted, simply calling it "a mess".

Not Your Average Tom Cruise Ride

What everyone seems to agree on—even the film's most sceptical early viewers—is that Digger isn't remotely what people will think from the outside. It starts like an over-the-top black comedy, but reportedly shifts into something much more introspective and bleak, veering straight into meta territory about the state of the world and our knack for making a nightmare of it. That has left critics genuinely torn: bold artistry? Or self-important misfire? Either way, the awards chat for both Cruise and Riz Ahmed hasn’t gone away.

This is miles from the straightforward crowd-pleasing summer blockbusters Cruise has headlined lately. Whether that's a draw or a dealbreaker is clearly open for debate.

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