The Wasteland Reviewer

Digger (2026) Written Review

What is Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s latest film Digger and why is there so much discourse around it? When you give one of the most decorated auteur directors working today $180 million to make a film in his unadulterated vision, you know you are going to get plenty of attention. But the budget is not even close to being the biggest element of this story. Tom Cruise, the largest movie star working today, takes a role under plenty of make-up and with a big accent, belly, hat, and personality, that is something to notice. Digger also tackles climate change in a blunt and direct way as well as taking direct shots at some of the world’s biggest leaders including the President of the United States. When you mix this all together with some cartoonish presentation and plenty of mystery, you get yourself the most tackled about film going into this awards season. 

How does Inarritu’s directorial voice shape this bold film? One of the most surprising things is just how derivative this “original” film is. You can tell that Inarritu is shooting for his Dr. Strangelove. But Kubrick’s voice was darker and drier with Inarritu turning everything up to 11. There are plenty of goofy characters, big personalities, and yelling to go around. The film is certainly fun and will get some good laughs when that is the focus. But this campy, satirical charade is only the veneer of the film. What the film is turns out to be much more somber and weighty which feels like tonal whiplash to say the least. But the overall voice of the film still feels like Inarritu despite it also feeling like it tries to be someone else’s voice as well. If you have seen Yorgos Lanthimos’ most recent work, you will recognize a lot of the visual motifs and auditory sensibilities of Digger. Even Cosmo Sheldrake’s strange and off kilter score sounds eerily like the work of Lanthimos composer Jerskin Fendrix. But you still have one of the best cinematographers of all time, Emmanuel Lubeski, behind the camera so this film looks amazing. The desaturated colors feel like such a distinct choice, and it works for crafting such a strange atmosphere. You get plenty of uncomfortable and intrusive close-ups of characters that Inarritu is known for which brings out so much detail in their performances. One of the most impressive elements of the film is the set and production design. The amount of detail and creativity that went into bringing this story to life is quite impressive. There are some other interesting choices thrown in too like a puppet cat and all. The pacing of the film is quite a challenge though as it is quite uneven and takes a long time getting to its destination (especially when the narrative shifts gears. 

Does the screenplay by Inarritu and company deliver something special? On the surface, this is a bold and ambitious screenplay…but the more you think about it, you realize there are even more derivative elements. The framing device of the film (which comes to great surprise) is something that has been explored in the works of Inarritu’s contemporaries like Wes Anderson. What might feel fresh and new to those who might not watch as many films turns out to be something a tad familiar. Like those other films, the framing device is quite a surprise when revealed. The elements of the film that work best are the actual story of Digger and the wild world he is trying to save (after almost destroying it). This framing device certainly serves some of the film’s key themes and makes the audience contemplate their position in the world around. Unfortunately, these elements of the film just feel so disconnected from a tonal perspective and generally just feel shoe-horned into the film every so often. One of the most frustrating realities of Digger is that it feels so obvious that there is a crew of writers in the film. Calling this film unfocused is obvious but it is true. The story centered on Digger is certainly interesting and engaging especially since there are plenty of funny moments. Most of the characters feel like caricatures (which is intentional) but there are few moments of humanity that allow the audience to connect. This film is being touted as a bold satire of our times…but there is something that doesn’t sit well about this execution. Sure, there are plenty of funny elements in the film, but these are not clever exaggerations of serious issues around us. To be honest, this film is just putting on display the lunacy that we experience. When you look at the absurd behavior of these political figures in the film, you realize these are not send-ups, but actual depictions of ridiculousness feel real because we (unfortunately) see this behavior all the time. There is some clever dialogue and character moments at times but most of the “satire” is just things we hear on the web and on TV. Where Inarritu thought he was being clever just feels like copying daily discourse. This is a familiar feeling as Don’t Look Up dealt with the same issues. It is quite difficult to lampoon reality when reality is more absurd than what you came up with. 

Where does the cast fit into this wild tapestry of absurdity? Cruise gives a fresh performance that we have not gotten to see from him in a while. Digger is a ridiculous cartoon of a man which Cruise certainly has plenty of fun portraying. But it is the subtler pieces (and some revelations about his role in the film) that make Cruise shine. The film gives Cruise plenty of moments to shine, including a showstopping speech that will go down as some of Cruise’s best work. There is plenty more to the role for Cruise than you might know and he shines in every aspect. John Goodman is one of the best character actors over the last 40 years, and his giant presence and big energy makes him a perfect choice for the unhinged President Compson. Riz Ahmed gets to shine in a new type of role for him. Mousy and nerdy, Ahmed’s scientist Ganesh is a fresh vibe for the actor which gives him space to play (especially when his character gets more intoxicated throughout the events of the film). There is a fun batch of character actors who leave their mark as the bonkers crews of the Presidential Cabinet. Michael Stuhlbarg, Robert John Burke, Burn Gorman, Corey Johnson, Pop Torens, and Stephen Wight all get their moments as the bumbling and/or testosterone-fueled cabinet. Jesse Plemons is one of the most interesting actors working today and he fits into the film as such a small, weird performance that fits into the film in an unexpected way. The same can be said about other talents like Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy. Sandra Huller (one of the most interesting rising stars in global cinema) even pops in for some fun character work. If it weren’t for the committed crew of actors making up this ensemble, Inarritu’s wild film might not work as well as it does. 

So…is the jury still out on Digger? This is a towering experience that looks quite amazing and engrossing on the big screen. Inarritu delivers on the filmmaking end of things and gives this mysterious film plenty of reason to check it out on the biggest screen possible. You will never quite know where this film is going, and it will spark plenty of dialogue about the world around us. Cruise is a towering presence and gets to shine in such a fun character outside of his action star persona. There is plenty to love and hate about this film and unfortunately, it never feels as prescient or clever as Inarritu thinks it is. But a creative mixed bag is better than a dull one. Hopefully, you can cut through the tonal and energy whiplash that Inarritu has crafted.