On “Digger”

Adam Kozman, Opinion Editor

Out of all the films being released in this fall period, one of the most anticipated, “Digger”, has flopped in the box office. “Digger” is a dramedy written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu starring Tom Cruise. Iñárritu has also directed “The Revenant” and “Birdman.”

The Guardian says it is on course to lose $245 million, stating it as “one of the biggest disasters in movie history.” On top of this, the film has garnered a lot of negative attention online. “Digger” scored a 52 out of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned countless negative reviews. Sean Chandler, a Rotten Tomatoes reviewer, called it “an interesting misfire.” Another critic, Coleman Spilde, said the film has “ill will spewing from every pore, a complete loathing for humanity.” 

Seeing these reviews, I started to think that a lot of people were expecting this film to be similar to other popular dramedies like “Forrest Gump” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” Or at least some type of film that takes you away on a ride with a character through challenging yet distant places and, ultimately, drops you back off where you started with a moral lesson in your back pocket. “Digger” is very much the opposite.

The film follows Digger Rockwell, an extremely powerful oil tycoon, who consequentially tries to prove himself the savior of humanity against a problem he created. The problem being environmental distress caused by his own drilling. Like all of Iñárritu’s work, it is visually striking. It is filmed with countless close shots, long choreographed takes and an immersive yet spare sound. All the actors have incredible performances, however, as Tom Cruise is on screen for pretty much the whole movie. He carries the energy dynamic throughout the whole project.

Without spoiling it, I will say that “Digger” is not like any other movie I have seen. It calls out the very questions people aren’t willing to address when it comes to climate change. “Digger” imagines where we are going as a society just based on the way it is run and how it has been built by those before us. And it undercuts all the climate change themes with that of the enduring value of art during times of distress and failure. Iñárritu subtly hints that there can be little pockets of hope in desolate times when the electric light that is art is switched on. 

Iñárritu didn’t make a film that wrapped you up and made you feel good inside, he makes us look at our reflection in the window of a magic eight ball and see ourselves plainly in the inevitable future.