Initial feedback on Tom Cruise’s latest movie, Digger, has surfaced recently.
Generating early buzz as a contender for the 2027 Oscars, the satirical dark comedy features Tom Cruise in a standout role that many predict will earn him an Oscar nod. He portrays Digger Rockwell, an affluent, quirky oil magnate whose drilling ventures trigger global calamities, forcing him to remedy the fallout. The film is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and boasts a stellar ensemble including Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman, and Sophie Wilde.
The first reviews from critics on social media are overwhelmingly positive. Despite initial skepticism about the promotional materials, ScreenRant journalist Liam Crowley described Digger as “a masterpiece. I’m shocked to be typing this. Hated the trailers and boy am I glad I was led astray. This is an extremely important film that feels like a moment in time in our species’ history. I’ve never been simultaneously happy and haunted by a story quite like this. And that ending, coupled with the reality check I faced on the walk home thru NYC streets, man. I could talk about this film for hours. I think it’s my new top contender for Best Picture.”
Jake Hamilton from Jake’s Takes echoed these sentiments, claiming, “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. Tom Cruise’s performance ranks among his career best.”
Anne Thompson, an editor at IndieWire, anticipates that the film will garner several Academy Award nominations, particularly in acting and technical categories, although she suspects it may not capture the mainstream audience and might polarize critics over Cruise’s performance: “A.G. Iñárritu’s Digger is a brave and gorgeous art film that will not score with mainstream audiences but will play best for the Academy, especially crafts and actors. But critics will divide on Cruise. The tour-de-force amphitheater scene might put him across. Riz Ahmed is fab.”
Scott Menzel, a film and TV critic, noted, “While this film certainly won’t work for everyone, I found the pairing of Iñárritu and Tom Cruise to be an engaging and one of a kind experience. Cruise really does have a knack for comedy, and while not all the jokes land, he fully commits to his performances and the material.” He also praised Ahmed for being “an absolute riot throughout” while noting that “In terms of the film as a whole, it is a bit disjointed.”
Hoai-Tran Bui, the senior entertainment editor at Inverse, had mixed feelings: “Very mixed on DIGGER which had things I liked (Cruise’s performance included) and things I found absolutely insufferable. I wasn’t a devoted Inarritu hater before this but now I kind of get it! Riz Ahmed innocent.”
Journalist Mike Ryan shared his complex reaction, highlighting Cruise’s dedication to his role which he admired, yet he had reservations about some narrative decisions, describing the film as “generally unpleasant”: “Tom Cruise, as you probably expect, is *going for it* in DIGGER, which makes me want to like it. Though I find some plot choices baffling. There are very interesting moments in a meta, Cruise’s career way, but MAVERICK did them better. (It’s also kind of generally unpleasant.)”
Matt Neglia from Next Best Picture remarked on the movie’s high production value but criticized its overall impact: “Digger is Tom Cruise’s most dynamic and interesting role in years. The production design, cinematography, sound, and makeup are all aces. However, the film turns out to be a bizarre, self-admittedly unfunny, and boisterous warning about the current state of the world, but with not enough depth or humanity to help us care or make any sense of it. Less of a bang and more of a hollow misfire.”
These initial reactions confirm the Oscar buzz, suggesting possible nominations for Cruise and Ahmed, acknowledging their performances even among those who found faults with other aspects of the film. This could lead to Academy Award wins in the acting categories for both, with Best Actor for Cruise and Best Supporting Actor for Ahmed, and a likely Best Director nod for Iñárritu, along with other potential nominations.
Despite the potential for awards, the first impressions suggest that Digger will polarize audiences, ranging from high praise to significant disappointment, contrasting with Cruise’s more universally appealing films like 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, which grossed $1.5 billion globally. Digger appears to target a more niche audience.
Digger is set for release in theaters on October 2.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
