Film Review: Digger
Oscar-winning Mexican auteur Alejandro González Iñárritu targets Big Oil and its political enablers in a truly bonkers climate change satire that’s sure to divide audiences and critics alike. Digger stars Tom Cruise as a cowboy‑hat‑and‑bolo‑wearing energy mogul who believes in “drill, baby, drill” to a devastating conclusion. His unquenchable greed—and the conspiracy that follows—unleashes an ecological disaster that literally reshapes the planet.
The film’s magnificent cinematography, production design, and editing are tempered by outlandish performances that make “over the top” feel understated. Digger plays like a contemporary mix of Dr. Strangelove and The Hudsucker Proxy, complete with bombshell twists you definitely won’t see coming. Jaws will scrape the floor as second‑act revelations reshape the narrative and provide a startling new perspective. These epic turns will strike viewers as either intriguing or idiotic, depending on their point of view. Count me firmly in the former category as genuinely astonished and appreciative of Iñárritu’s creative vision.
Let’s tread carefully to avoid spoilers because the surprises are extraordinary. The balding and paunchy Digger Rockwell (Cruise) climbs out of bed in his gaudy and ostentatious mansion. His first order of business is to beckon dedicated servants. They care for a 30-year-old white cat clinging to life by a whisker that Digger refuses to let die. He pampers the incontinent feline while trolling through an estate adorned with the heads of hunted game and elk horns. Digger splashes on his oil man garb and takes a message that has been beeping urgently.
His drilling platforms in Greenland have triggered a massive methane explosion. Digger couldn’t care less. Put out the fires and keep drilling, damnit—those Arctic licenses cost money. Moments later, he gets a catastrophic update from Ganesh (Riz Ahmed), his company’s chief climate scientist and whipped lackey. The blast has caused the ice sheet to split apart and plunge into the ocean. An iceberg the size of Texas is now floating ominously toward Europe.
The President (John Goodman), Vice President (Michael Stuhlbarg), their gung-ho military advisors, and Digger’s furious younger sister and business partner, Emma (Sandra Hüller), will be arriving at the mansion in minutes. What the heck is Digger going to do about the monumental disaster he’s just unleashed? And is protecting his substantial bottom‑line profits worth more to him than warning the soon‑to‑be‑inundated citizens that they’re about to horrifically drown?
Iñárritu (21 Grams, Birdman, The Revenant) pulls no punches portraying Digger and the derelict US leadership as unbridled and callous capitalists willing to sacrifice millions. Oil is an addiction that must be fed regardless of the consequences. All the environmentalists who warned this was inevitable stayed warm and cozy in their synthetic coats and central heating. This is just the price that humanity must pay to enjoy the luxuries of modern life. You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette. So say the rich as they ride out armageddon in leaky bunkers, luxury yachts, and oil platforms.
The black comedy that follows calamity reveals the worst of human nature with a sledgehammer delivery. Digger utterly lacks nuance as the venerated ensemble yells and curses at each other for the majority of the runtime. There are no whispers because inflated egos and the insatiably greedy don’t have quiet, common sense, or thoughtfulness in their collective repertoire. It’s money or bust with everyone else suffering the tragic consequences. This is Iñárritu’s lesson as he tars global one-percenters and petrodollar profiteers with a damning brush.
Those who foolishly dispute climate change and consider proven science a hoax will not be fans of this film. They will brand Iñárritu and Cruise as alarmists liberals and curse Digger as Hollywood drivel. The same opinion may be shared by others for different and more sensible reasons. The film’s sensationalist tone and eccentric buffoonery is purposely grating. Some audiences won’t appreciate the stunning artistry because the characters and plot are so overblown. That’s a legitimate criticism that Iñárritu somewhat addresses in a climax that weaves all of the wacky threads together.
Digger ends on a vastly different note that cannot be discussed without ruining the experience. It’s astoundingly cinematic and should leave viewers gobsmacked. There won’t be many middle‑ground opinions of this film. Will Cruise be left holding the Best Actor Oscar next year? Probably not, but its technical achievements and screenwriting prowess will certainly be in contention.
Digger is a production of Legendary Pictures, TC Productions, and M Productions. It will be released theatrically on October 2nd from Warner Bros.
