‘Digger’ Fills the Ditch Dug by Irresponsible Political Satire

As the screen illuminates with bubbles and greenery, the world of “Digger” begins to slowly reveal itself. Beneath the veils of prosperity and peace outlined by the initial exposition is a world that struggles to imitate the lost beauties of nature. 

Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s insidious new film “Digger” divorces itself from contemporary satirical comedies by begging deep questions about what it means to be entertained in a dystopian world. His first feature film since 2015’s “The Revenant” leaves the audience with the burden of dissecting layers of political commentary up until the bitter end. 

The film centers around robber baron oil elite Digger Rockwell (Tom Cruise) who sees the ramifications of his actions spiral out of control both personally and globally. In attempting to fix them, he pithily outlines the contradictions which trouble American environmental protection discourse. 

Cruise (“Mission Impossible,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) proves that midway through his fifth decade of acting, he’s still too young to look normal wearing gray hair, but he’s old enough to pass as a caricature of the wealthy elite.

A supporting cast of Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller and Michael Stuhlbarg combines veteran actors with current-generation stars to create interplay between generations, furthering the effectiveness of the film’s remarks on the power-holders in our society.

Jesse Plemons also features as the mysterious Kenny, holding an undeniable presence, always seeming to be lurking behind the curtains and providing noticeable depth to the film. 

Each performance works together fluidly as the actors play to their strengths — a decision that works on many levels. Cruise, the charismatic leader a lá “Top Gun,” Goodman, an erratic power-wielding figure like his character in “The Big Lebowski,” and Hüller, mature and grounding, like her performance in “Anatomy of a Fall.” 

The cast’s familiarity with their characters allows them to maintain a satirical tone and synergy that perfectly complement each other. Once the dialogue starts rolling, the film hardly ceases to be full of energy throughout the entire 128-minute runtime.

On the surface, “Digger” creates a not-too-distant futuristic world that bears resemblance to “Mickey 17” and shares similar frustrations about American politics with “One Battle After Another” and “Bugonia.” Coincidentally, “Digger,” “One Battle After Another” and “Bugonia” were all filmed in VistaVision, a format which was predominantly popular in old Hollywood films for its high-resolution imagery and widescreen projection fit. 

However, buried underneath the initial plot are calls to action that reflect the audience’s inability to realize the context in which they enjoy entertainment. 

Iñárritu (“Gravity,” “Amores Perros”) adds to the discussion brought up by other contemporary films by qualifying the political criticism, offering nuance and warning against the power of a majoritarian government which controls the media.

Rather than reiterating tired mockeries of political figureheads, “Digger” asks the next question: Is it possible to completely overhaul the established way of life in order to reinstall democracy? 

Iñárritu isn’t offering crowd-pleasing solutions, but instead asks if change is possible in a system its people ultimately benefit from and perpetuate.

Iñárritu frequently includes long shots with characters popping in and out of frame, not unlike his Academy Award-winning film “Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” which was famously created with the illusion of being a “oner” — one long, uninterrupted shot emphasizing expert acting and tricky camerawork. 

In “Digger,” similar techniques are used where shots linger pervasively through intimate spaces, allowing the viewer to see multiple sides of the characters, bones and all. As the plot unfolds, an already ingenious satire turns unexpectedly into a breathtakingly dark drama, sure to leave theaters speechless. 

The film firmly sticks the landing after suspending viewers without fully revealing itself until just before the credits roll, and it’s worth seeing every second on the big screen. 

“Digger,” rated R, hits theaters Oct. 2, and it’s imperative that viewers go in blind. Ultimately, revealing any information is a disservice to the effect of Iñárritu’s powerful messaging that arises as the film traps viewers in its moral coil.