Tom Cruise’s Digger Officially Divides Critics in His Most Polarizing Movie Yet

The first reactions to Tom Cruise‘s Digger are here after the satirical black comedy was unveiled to members of the film press. Critics are truly divided over the movie, which has been helmed by Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, director of Birdman and The Revenant. While some are satisfied with Cruise’s return to serious acting after more than a decade, others have called the movie all sorts of things, from “baffling” to “unpleasant.”

Matt Neglia, the founder of Next Best Picture, noted, “This is Tom Cruise’s most dynamic and interesting role in years.” The Hollywood superstar underwent a dramatic physical transformation as Digger Rockwell, a self-obsessed billionaire. Cruise appears with prosthetic makeup in the movie, which alters his facial features. He also has thinning gray hair and a larger stomach as Rockwell, a look completely opposite to his usual action roles. The actor noted on the New Heights podcast that the transformation makeup initially took about six hours to complete, and then he and his team were able to cut it down to less than 60 minutes.

Why Tom Cruise’s Digger Is Receiving Split Reactions

Tom Cruise in Digger | Credit: Warner Bros.

Awards Radar’s Joey Magidson has described Digger as a “mess” and “not enjoyable.” According to the critic, there is “not a whole lot of work” in the movie. Journalist Mike Ryan has called it simply “unpleasant.” Variety’s Clayton Davis weighed in on why he thinks the movie is getting divisive reviews.

Clayton noted that both Tom Cruise and John Goodman delivered stellar performances, and the cinematography and production design also met expectations. However, he feels that the dots were not connected at the end. Matt Neglia noted that Digger did not give Cruise enough space to “deliver a performance that could’ve had far more power and nuance.” Film critic Edward Douglas admitted that while he understands what the director was going for, he can’t say it’s a very good film. “I expect a HORRENDOUS CinemaScore,” Douglas said.

Perhaps IndieWire’s Anne Thompson described it better. According to her, Digger is a “brave and gorgeous art film” that will not receive mainstream praise. But she believes it will score well with the Academy, especially for actors and craft categories.

Tom Cruise’s Return to Serious Acting in Digger Hailed as His “Best Performance”

Tom Cruise and Riz Ahmed in Digger | Critic: Warner Bros.

Contrary to all the negative, or at least indecisive, comments, IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill thinks it’s Tom Cruise’s best performance since Magnolia. Journalist Scott Menzel noted that Cruise truly “commits to his performances and the material.” Jake Hamilton also added that his performance in Digger ranks among his career best.

Only time will tell whether it will actually be considered his best performance by audiences. However, it’s safe to say Digger isn’t sitting well with everyone. The movie is set to be released in the U.S. theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026. The global rollout will begin on September 30. Apart from Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, Riz Ahmed stars as Ganesh, John Goodman as President Compson, Sandra Hüller as Emma Rockwell, Jesse Plemons as Kenny, and Emma D’Arcy as Lina. What do you expect from Digger? Comment below.