Critics React to Tom Cruise’s Divisive New Movie
MoviesHub
The first reactions to Tom Cruise‘s new movie Digger are in, and critics definitely don’t agree on this one!
The 64-year-old actor stars in the new dark comedy from Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu, marking Tom‘s first non-action starring role in nearly a decade.
The movie follows Digger Rockwell, “the most powerful man in the world,” who embarks on “a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.”
Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy also star.
Following early press screenings and the movie’s London premiere on Tuesday (September 22), the social media embargo lifted and the first reactions began pouring in.
What Are Critics Saying About Digger?
There’s no clear consensus yet, as critics are sharply divided.
While some critics are calling Digger one of the boldest movies of the year and praising Tom for taking a major risk, others are describing the movie as messy, self-indulgent or simply not very funny. One thing that comes up repeatedly, however, is that audiences apparently aren’t getting the full story from the trailers.
Critic Jake Hamilton went big with his praise, calling Digger his “favorite film of ’26” and comparing elements of the movie to Stanley Kubrick and Black Mirror. He also ranked Tom‘s work among the best performances of his career.
Carla Renata, aka The Curvy Critic, was similarly enthusiastic, praising the movie’s commentary on billionaires and power and describing Tom‘s performance as one of the bravest of his career.
Fandango‘s Erik Davis warned that the movie is a “big swing” that won’t work for everyone, but singled out both Tom and Riz for praise. He described Tom‘s performance as one of the most unpredictable of his career.
Film critic Tomris Laffly said she hadn’t realized beforehand that Alejandro was essentially making his own Dr. Strangelove, adding that the movie eventually becomes something else entirely. She praised Tom and the film’s “audacious existential strangeness.”
Not everyone was sold.
IndieWire‘s Ryan Lattanzio called the movie a “self-indulgent miscalculation from end to end.”
Edward Douglas said he couldn’t call Digger “very good,” though he felt a major late-film reveal almost justified some of the movie’s craziness. He also predicted that the movie could have a “HORRENDOUS CinemaScore.”
Joey Magidson was similarly negative about the overall movie, calling it “a mess,” but still praised Tom and singled out Riz as a highlight.
Meanwhile, The Oscar Expert praised the movie as a timely examination of powerful and wealthy people manipulating public narratives, while acknowledging that it’s “very goofy, though not particularly funny.”
The dramatically different responses seem to make one thing clear: Digger could be one of the year’s most divisive movies.
The movie hits theaters on October 2.
Check out even more of the first reactions below…
Tom Cruise brushed shoulders with royalty at the world premiere of the movie. Find out who attended!
Posted To:Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Digger Emma D'Arcy Jesse Plemons John Goodman michael stuhlbarg Movies Reviews Riz Ahmed Sandra Huller Sophie Wilde Tom Cruise
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