Tom Cruise stars in Iñárritu's climate satire Digger

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 2 Oct, 12:20 · Archive

Tom Cruise plays an oil tycoon in Alejandro González Iñárritu's new satire about ecological disaster.

Tom Cruise plays an oil tycoon in Digger, a new satire by Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu about an ecological disaster triggered by irresponsible drilling. The film also stars John Goodman, Riz Ahmed and Sandra Hüller.

Critical response has been divided. The Guardian's review is largely negative, calling it an 'exasperatingly shallow, laborious, self-congratulatory satire' with shallow value, though it acknowledges Cruise's 'boisterous leading turn'. The Evening Standard offers a contrasting assessment, calling it an 'audacious climate catastrophe satire' and praising Cruise's performance as 'his wildest, best' since the last century.

France 24 reports that critics are divided on the film and suggests an Oscar nomination may be possible, whilst noting that Cruise takes a significant career gamble in the unrecognisable role.

How it is being reported

• Tom Cruise's 'Digger' divides critics as Zurich Film Festival stars steal the spotlightThis week on arts24's film show, an unrecognisable Tom Cruise takes a career gamble in "Digger", Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new satire, in which he plays an oil billionaire whose company initiates a world-ending ecological disaster. Critics are divided, but is an Oscar nomination possible? Also in cinemas this week, Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson star in the latest Colleen Hoover adaptation, "Verity".France 24 · 30 Sept, 15:47
• Digger review: Tom Cruise’s wildest, best performance since last centuryJohn Goodman, Riz Ahmed and Sandra Hüller join the grotesque parade in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s audacious climate catastrophe satire – but not everyone will dig this brillianceEvening Standard · 29 Sept, 17:00
• Digger review – Tom Cruise’s loudmouth oil tycoon goes hard in Alejandro G Iñárritu’s eco-satireOne man’s irresponsible drilling causes a global crisis in Iñárritu’s exasperatingly laborious, self-congratulatory film A new movie from the Oscar-winning Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu is always an event. So it’s disconcerting to discover that the event in question is the most disappointing film of the year: an exasperatingly shallow, laborious, self-congratulatory satire with a trick up its sleeve, featuring very good actors giving not very good performances. There are moments to enjoy in Tom Cruise’s boisterous leading turn, yes, but the film’s value resides chiefly in some…The Guardian · 29 Sept, 17:00

In this story: Tom Cruise · Alejandro González Iñárritu · John Goodman · Riz Ahmed · Sandra Hüller

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log