Movie Review:
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Starring: Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, alongside Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Sandra Hüller
Rating: 4/5 Stars
The Plot
Digger is a movie that asks you to keep its story a secret, and within the 30 minutes, you understand exactly why. Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a super-rich oil company boss who talks with a Southern accent and wears pajamas around his house. He is a billionaire who seems completely out of touch with reality, caring more about his very sick pet cat than the damage his company is causing. When a pipe breaks under a massive glacier, Digger tells his team to ignore the problem. Because of this, the drilling machine catches fire and sends a huge piece of ice straight toward a crowded city. Beyond the big disaster, the movie also points a finger at greedy politicians, showing how they treat serious real-world problems like a wrestling match just to keep their voters happy.
Performances
Tom Cruise completely changes his look for this movie and gives one of his best acting performances in years. He steps away from his usual action-hero roles and fully becomes the crazy, selfish Digger Rockwell. He is the glue that holds the wild story together. Riz Ahmed is also amazing as Dr. Ganesh, a scientist who tries to advise Digger. The scenes where Dr. Ganesh argues with Digger are full of anger and emotion. Jesse Plemons also does a fantastic job as Kenny, an investor, and delivers some of the most touching dialogue in the entire film.
Cast and Direction
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu tries something very different here. Instead of his usual serious survival stories, he has made a dark comedy that pokes fun at the rich and powerful. At times, the movie feels a bit silly, but it quickly turns into high-stakes drama. The director does a great job managing the actors and making sure the audience sees how fake and out-of-touch the world’s most powerful people can really be.
Music and Technicalities
The movie looks absolutely beautiful. The camerawork by Emmanuel Lubezki is brilliant, capturing the big disaster scenes perfectly. Every scene is beautifully framed, proving that shooting on traditional film still gives the best results. The set designs by Dennis Gassner and Richard L. Johnson are also top-notch, perfectly showing off the flashy and fake lifestyle of the ultra-rich. The background music and sound design keep you on the edge of your seat and add a lot of thrill to the story.
The Verdict
Even with all its grand ideas and great acting, Digger is not entirely perfect, which is why I am giving it four out of five stars. The movie has some flat moments where the story slows down and loses its grip on the viewer. The drawback for me was how they tried to show Curtis Markson’s personal life and it doesn’t lead to the intended conclusion. The scenes focusing on his private world just didn’t connect well and felt a bit weak compared to the rest of the movie. Overall, the movie is a bold and fresh experience. It is a wild ride that will definitely leave you thinking and talking about it long after you leave the theater. A must-watch for sure.
