Dig in to the latest absurdist film to hit the screens—Digger!
When we first saw the trailer, it immediately caught our attention. It looked adventurous, fun, and intriguing. But what really lies beneath the film once we dig deep enough? Read our High Five review to find out. Spoilers ahead so be warned!
Digging into Disaster
Still from Warner Bros. Pictures
The film introduces us to Digger Rockwell (Tom Cruise), a wealthy businessman whose work in the oil industry put him at the center of a massive environmental crisis. After his drilling operations in Greenland trigger a disaster that sends a giant ice shelf drifting toward Europe, the world suddenly looks to Digger for a solution.
Presidents, military officials, and governments turn to him as the crisis grows, putting Digger in the strange position of having to help solve a disaster connected to his own actions. And with countless lives at stake, there is little room for him to get things wrong.
The plot introduces a dire conflict that only has one way out—for Digger to dig himself and the world out of this mess. And from this premise comes an absurdist tale with a massive creative swing that will be hit or miss for a lot of viewers.
A Thematic Thrill Ride
Still from Warner Bros. Pictures
Beneath all the chaos is a story about greed, wealth, power, and accountability. Digger is a billionaire oil tycoon who has built his world around an industry that is now at the heart of the crisis, making his position as the supposed “savior” all the more complicated.
The film does a good job showing how his actions and the oil industry connect to the bigger situation. However, I found myself wanting to see more of the people and their real lives behind it all. There was so much happening around Digger that some of these human elements felt like they could have been explored further to humanize the film. Instead, it takes things way over the top, aiming for a pitch black comedy that’s never shies away from satirizing how global capitalism has screwed us all over.
A Messy Gift that Keeps on Giving
Still from Warner Bros. Pictures
The pacing kept me curious, especially once the first major twist was revealed. It immediately makes you wonder: if that was Digger, then who exactly is this person?
At the same time, some scenes felt messy, chaotic, and all over the place. But somehow, that almost feels appropriate. Digger himself seems lost in the middle of everything happening around him—but what else would you expect from a billionaire oil tycoon suddenly facing the consequences of the world he helped build?
It can be confusing at times, but that confusion also keeps you watching because you want to understand where everything is going.
Tom Cruise as a Billionaire Losing Control
Still from Warner Bros. Pictures
Tom Cruise’s performance was, of course, one of the film’s strongest points. He carries Digger’s character well, particularly as the situation around him continues to spiral out of control. By the end of the film, you can’t help but feel that Digger deserved what happened to him. Still, I found myself wishing the film had explored more of the real causes and circumstances behind the characters’ lives, as that could have given some of their motivations more weight.
Some of the supporting characters also stood out, particularly John Goodman as the buffoonish US President Compson, Michael Stuhlbarg as the Vice President, and Riz Ahmed as Digger’s assistant, Dr. Nirav Ganesh.
An Eye-Opening Ending
Still from Warner Bros. Pictures
The ending was actually good and, for me, became the biggest twist of the entire film. It helps connect the little pieces from the beginning, some of the confusing moments in the middle, and the conclusion in a way that makes you look back at what you just watched differently.
There is more to Digger than what initially meets the eye, so you really have to dig deep to try and understand all the different pieces at play. Without giving too much away, the reveal made the film even more interesting because it left me wondering how everything would eventually play out.
Overall, Digger was something fresh to see. It was messy, chaotic, and even a little confusing at times, but there was something interesting about taking the risk on a film that explores the dangers of unchecked greed making decisions for powerful industries.
More than anything, the film leaves you thinking about what our own future could look like if we continue down the same path. And perhaps that’s what makes Digger worth digging into.
SEA Wave rates Digger 3 out of 5 for its environmental themes, strong acting, and unexpected twists.