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. 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.) — Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) September 22, 2026 Writer Kristen Lopez added: “DIGGER is a very mixed bag. You’ll get what it’s saying, and the concept is interesting, but it doesn’t trust the audience enough not to hold its hand. Riz Ahmed is great. The Cruise performance is solid. Hard to do satire when the absurdity is so prominent in reality.” DIGGER is a very mixed bag. You’ll get what it’s saying, and the concept is interesting, but it doesn’t trust the audience enough not to hold its hand. Riz Ahmed is great. The Cruise performance is solid. Hard to do satire when the absurdity is so prominent in reality. pic.twitter.com/SzhcTaztWB — Kristen Lopez (@kristenklopez) September 22, 2026 Others, however, were blown away by the vision. “I’VE SEEN #DIGGER AND IT’S THE MOVIE OF THE YEAR” enthused one critic. “Magnificent, original, and absolutely mind-blowing. The kind of film you need to watch multiple times to fully process. Avoid spoilers, go to the movies, and let yourself be surprised.” I’VE SEEN #DIGGER AND IT’S THE MOVIE OF THE YEAR 😳 Magnificent, original, and absolutely mind-blowing.The kind of film you need to watch multiple times to fully process. Avoid spoilers, go to the movies, and let yourself be surprised 🪏🧡 @diggerthemovie pic.twitter.com/8q1IHJk9xq — del (@delangeletti) September 22, 2026 IndieWire’s Anne Thompson posted: “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.”Recommended 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. — Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) September 22, 2026 Writer Jim Hemphill wrote: “Digger not only showcases Tom Cruise’s best performance since Magnolia, it’s one of the most visually inventive, conceptually audacious, and unpredictable studio movies ever made. Takes so many bold aesthetic swings it makes Bardo look like an episode of The Golden Girls.” “Digger” not only showcases Tom Cruise’s best performance since “Magnolia,” it’s one of the most visually inventive, conceptually audacious, and unpredictable studio movies ever made. Takes so many bold aesthetic swings it makes “Bardo” look like an episode of “The Golden Girls.” — Jim Hemphill (@JimmyHemphill) September 22, 2026 Digger is released in cinemas on October 2. Recently, Tom Cruise weighed in on the debate surrounding AI’s use in filmmaking.