Tom Cruise stars in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s eco-satire “Digger,” a disaster film in which an ageing oil tycoon’s drilling in the Arctic leads to a global ecological crisis. Multiple outlets describe the movie as conceptually ambitious and visually striking, but they disagree sharply on whether its comedy and narrative land.

Several reviews call the film hollow, overly self-serious, or laborious, arguing that the satire overreaches or drains the stakes and laughs out of the story. These include negative assessments characterizing it as glib, pretentious, or a “misfire,” with some reviewers saying it becomes difficult to take seriously for long stretches. Other sources still fault it at points, but highlight moments of excitement, daring, and urgency, suggesting the divisiveness is part of its design.

Across coverage, critics repeatedly single out the performances—especially Cruise’s boisterous, heavily marked characterization—as either a high point or an aggravating distraction. Even more consistent is the praise for the film’s visual craft, including its imagery and cinematic style. Overall, outlets agree that “Digger” is polarizing: some view it as audacious and thrilling, while others see it as insufferably pleased with itself.