“Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger, despite great performances from Tom Cruise and Riz Ahmed, comes across as a poor man’s Dr. Strangelove, and not a good one at that.”
Before we get into the meat of Digger, let’s get this out of the way first. If you’ve seen the trailers, forget them. If you think you know what the film entails, you’re wrong. While many, but not all, of the clips in the trailer appear in the film, they don’t tell the full story or show the complete picture. It is extremely deceptive. How you take this will determine whether you enjoy the film. Now, everyone knows I enjoy a good Tom Cruise film. Over the past few years, the actor has received many glowing reviews for his cinematic output from the Future of the Force and me. Can he continue his winning run of avoiding a sub-four-star review? Did we dig the film, or should they have buried it under the dirt and left it there?
THE PREMISE
The most powerful man in the world races to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he unleashed destroys everything.
THOUGHTS
Sadly, the result is FAR from a four- or five-star rating. To be honest, the film is like Marmite: You’ll either love it or hate it. Don’t take my word for it or any other critic’s; go find out for yourselves. However, given the film’s events and revelations, this review will be brief on the details. To discover what these surprises are, go and see it in cinemas. However, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Despite a huge dose of satire, akin to the classic Dr. Strangelove, it is far from that film’s class. While much of the comedy hits the mark, a lot misses the target completely. Within the first twenty minutes, the big reveal is unleashed. When that happens, one of two things can happen: the audience will smile, understand the absurdity of it all, and embrace it, or they’ll shrug, be unimpressed, and watch how bad it can get. Sadly, I fall into the latter category.
TOM CRUISE
Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon whose company causes a potential world-ending disaster in Greenland, is his usual effective self. Nobody can take away from the effort and fun Cruise puts into his portrayal of what is, in essence, a complete asshole, one who thinks he is above and beyond everyone in his orbit. Buried under a ton of makeup, Cruise’s presence shines through, showing the audience that the actor has an incredible knack for comedy. If his delivery of Digger’s dialogue doesn’t elicit a chuckle, the physical comedy will. But Cruise also delivers a dramatic performance here, showcasing his range.
But here lies a problem. Throughout the film, despite his talents, it comes across as an attempt to get the actor a Best Actor Oscar. While he deserves a nomination, the Academy may look at the film and see what it’s anchoring for. To see through the ruse and ignore him. That wouldn’t be fair to him, but the film doesn’t hide its true intentions.
RIZ AHMED
Riz Ahmed as Ganesh, a scientist and the President’s assistant, steals the film from Cruise and the rest of the cast. Ganesh is the voice of reason, the brain amongst the idealistic idiots who interfere with what the Americans should do to aid Europe, to attempt to help them avoid the catastrophe that is heading towards them. His emotion and passion to do the right thing shine through, and Ahmed delivers an engaging and superb comedic performance. One extended sequence sees Ganesh get completely drunk, something that is carried into the next scene, with hilarious results. Ahmed more than holds his own against some Hollywood heavyweights. If he were in a different film, one that played to these comedic strengths and had a better script, it could have been a definite Oscar-winning performance. While a Best Supporting Actor nomination should, by right, be incoming for him, it remains to be seen if he gets one.
SUPPORTING CAST
The supporting cast do their best with what they have to work with. Sandra Hüller as Emma Rockwell, Digger’s half-sister and business partner; Jesse Plemons as Kenny; and Michael Stuhlbarg as the Vice President get short shrift, Sandra Hüller especially. Despite Plemons having what comes across as a vital role in the film, he, like Sandra Hüller, is sidelined for the most part. The same can be said for Stuhlbarg. Now, I like Michael Stuhlbarg and his work, so I’m being fair when I say the actor deserves better. While he does get some hilarious quips and some meaty scenes, he is also not used enough to come across as a vital part of the proceedings.
John Goodman as Compson, the dictatorial President of the United States, delivers a hilarious performance that we expect from him. At no time does Goodman let the act drop, coming across as a conceited, devious, uncaring man heading toward the grave fast, thanks to what he calls ‘Cancer of the asshole.’ This term becomes a running gag throughout the film, allowing Goodman to lean into the absurdity of his role. Although it is almost written to be on the same wavelength as Peter Sellers’ version in Dr. Strangelove, it isn’t nearly as well defined, denying the actor something truly memorable. However, given what he has to work with, Goodman delivers a superb performance.
VERDICT
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger, despite great performances from Tom Cruise and Riz Ahmed, comes across as a poor man’s Dr. Strangelove, and not a good one at that. To be honest, Iñárritu takes his previous work, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and almost remakes it. That film deservedly won four Academy Awards. If he’s trying to, or even thinking he will, manage it again with this film, he’s sadly mistaken. His directing is never in question when it comes to style or excellence. It’s his script, alongside Sabina Berman, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Nicolás Giacobone, that lets him and the film down. And badly at that. Yes, the unexpected narrative turn is a surprise, but it also alienated almost 90% of the audience I saw it with. That’s never a good sign.
NOT AS FUNNY AND CLEVER AS IT THINKS
To say this is an exercise in being clever or baiting the awards juries doesn’t come close to what is really going on with the film. It isn’t half as funny or clever as it thinks it is. While many people may enjoy it (I hope they do), most will see through it. At two hours and change, many people will be aching for it to be over, to put it in the rearview mirror as soon as the credits start to roll. Even a neat twist at the end can’t save the film from being a real disappointment. For something that, from the trailers, looked to be quite exceptional, it delivers so very little, and nothing that sticks in the mind as we leave the theater. Some people may dig Digger. For the rest of us, it should have been buried.
Digger opens in cinemas from Friday, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
