Tom Cruise's 'Digger' Sparks Polarizing Reviews, Divided Critics

Tom Cruise's latest film, "Digger," a big-budget black comedy exploring themes of climate change and corporate greed, has elicited sharply divided reactions from critics, with reviews ranging from "masterpiece" to "insufferable." The film, which sees Cruise undergo a significant transformation to portray an eccentric oil tycoon who inadvertently triggers an ecological disaster, has been branded the biggest risk of his career.

Directed by four-time Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for "Birdman" and "The Revenant," "Digger" was positioned as a potential awards contender. Cruise co-produces the film, a departure from his well-known action roles that often feature elaborate stunts.

Positive reviews highlighted the film's ambition and Cruise's commitment to the role. Brian Viner of the Daily Mail awarded the film four stars, calling it "bold and often brilliant film-making" and noting the potential for Oscar nominations for the cast and director. Nicholas Barber of the BBC also gave it four stars, praising Cruise's "gargantuan scale of his performance" and Iñárritu's "antic style." Robbie Collin of The Telegraph described "Digger" as "the most bonkers film of the year" and a "thrill to watch" Iñárritu and Cruise explore complex themes. Amy Nicholson of The LA Times noted that Cruise's role as Digger Rockwell is his "riskiest role in eons," and Collider commended his "bizarre but brilliant performance."

However, a significant portion of critics found the film lacking. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave "Digger" two stars, suggesting it had "something glib and overblown" and was caught in a "postmodern hole." Kevin Maher of The Times awarded a single star, stating Cruise was both the film's "sole selling point and its fatal flaw." Empire's Olly Richards described the film as a "bumptious blowhard," while Variety's Owen Gleiberman questioned if the film would connect due to being "so full of itself" and a "ponderous absurdist lecture."

Other criticisms included descriptions like "turgid, unfunny, and borderline unwatchable" from The Boston Globe and "what happens when you give the week's worst Saturday Night Live sketch an inexplicably large budget and delusions of grandeur" from The Wrap.

The film's projected box office performance has also been a point of concern. Despite a production cost exceeding $125 million, predictions suggest a modest opening weekend, with some outlets estimating it could earn less than $10 million, while others offer a range between $16 million and $26 million. The film's tagline, "a comedy of catastrophic proportions," reflects its ambitious and divisive nature.