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Alejandro González Iñárritu’sfamously helped Leonardo DiCaprio win his Oscar. Does Digger have the weight to do the same for Cruise? Caleb Masters reviews the “comedy of catastrophic proportions,” in this The Cinematic Schematic mini-review.
Tune in, or read the written review below.
“Mr. Movies” Goes For the Oscar
Tom Cruise has spent much of the last two decades building his reputation as “Mr. Movies” through outrageous, life-risking stunts in the Mission: Impossible movies and outspoken advocacy for the theatrical experience. Top Gun: Maverick all but sealed his mythologized persona as one of cinema’s greatest champions.
That makes Digger a fascinating choice. It’s a film that showcases what cinema can do while seeming deeply skeptical that any of it matters.
On a technical level, it’s impressive and frequently striking in IMAX. Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography is often breathtaking, matched by the editing and production design. Cruise delivers his biggest performance in decades. Most impressive is Riz Ahmed, who makes a meal of every scene he’s in. There’s no shortage of awe-inspiring moments. I said “wow” a couple of times.
In that regard, this is Mr. Movie’s specialty.
Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Mastery of Craft Champions Meaninglessness
That admiration sits uneasily alongside writer/director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s signature cynicism. It’s baked into the plot structure.
The cynicism itself isn’t necessarily a problem. It’s the obnoxious self-awareness and painful smugness that sometimes accompany it. Digger is a little too impressed with its own magic tricks, even when those tricks work.
And to what end? The underlying message is ultimately that the power of art is futile. It suggests satire can expose absurdity, but it can’t meaningfully change culture. So we might as well laugh at the idiots punching the buttons.
Tom Cruise’s Persona Seems at Odds With Digger’s Thesis
That tension is worth exploring. There’s something unsettling about watching “Mr. Movies” anchor a film that seems so certain the future is doomed. I found Iñárritu’s expressions of futility grating, even if I can’t deny the film’s final moments are deeply thought-provoking.
The big swings are admirable, but its technical achievements moved me far more than its ideas. Part of the power of Cruise’s “Mr. Movies” persona is his promise of awe, and for much of Digger, he delivers. On its face, this is his long-awaited Oscar role.
But when that spectacle serves such a bleak view of humanity, awe can only carry me so far.
By the time the dust from Digger’s shovel settled, I felt hollow.
C+
About Digger
IMDB describes Digger as:
The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
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