Tom Cruise’s “baffling” ‘Digger’ performance is dividing critics

Tom Cruise’s new film Digger is splitting critical opinion, with the surreal tone of the movie proving divisive among those who attended the first screenings.

Directed by Alejandro G.

Iñárritu ( Birdman , The Revenant ), the Hollywood superstar plays an oil magnate who takes it upon himself to save the world when his company’s drilling causes a natural disaster.

A twist in the film takes it in a surreal direction, and the choices made by the filmmakers have split critics right down the middle.

On the negative, some felt the film did not accomplish its goals.

Awards Radar’s Joey Magidson wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “ Digger is a mess.

Tom Cruise and Alejandro G.

Iñárritu are taking a massive swing here, but despite some great production design and a commitment to their big choices, not a whole lot works here.

Cruise is good and Riz Ahmed is a highlight, but man this wasn’t enjoyable.” Digger is a mess.

Tom Cruise and Alejandro G.

Iñárritu are taking a massive swing here, but despite some great production design and a commitment to their big choices, not a whole lot works here.

Cruise is good and Riz Ahmed is a highlight, but man this wasn’t enjoyable. #Digger pic.twitter.com/dCQEtDlSYG — Joey Magidson (@JoeyMagidson) September 22, 2026 Journalist Mike Ryan wrote: “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.)” Tom Cruise, as you probably expect, is *going for it* in DIGGER, which makes me want to like it.