One of the most expected movies of 2026 is finally in theaters! Starring Tom Cruise, Digger is another proof that he deserves the title of being one of the best actors of his generation.
Better known from the high-action movies he’s been in, like Top Gun and Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise has also appeared in more contemplative movies, like Paul Thomas Anderson‘s Magnolia and Stanley Kubrick‘s Eyes Wide Shut. Although Rock Of Ages, released in 2012, was his last non-action work before Digger, marking a 14-year gap between the two, he’s finally back at it.
Even with a résumé this big, Cruise has never stood on the Academy Awards stage as a winner. Will Digger finally give him the Oscar?
Inñaritu’s New Masterpiece
Digger Rockwell is one of the most powerful men in the world. Brought to life by Tom Cruise, the character is an extremely rich magnate who owns an oil company and doesn’t seem to care about anything other than Maggie, his 38 human-years-old cat.
Digger finds himself in huge trouble when one of his drilling missions creates a massive fissure in the ice cap where the oil platform is located. The fissure eventually causes Judy – an iceberg which untangles from the ice block and, by wind and water flow circumstances, is on its way to collide with Europe, potentially flooding the entire continent. After that, Cruise’s character embarks on a journey which he believes can make him “The Man Who Saved Humanity”.
Alongside Tom Cruise are names like Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Huller and Emma D’Arcy.
The experience was truly unforgettable and I’m so proud of what we created. – Tom Cruise.
As with many of Alejandro G. Inñaritu‘s works, Digger delivers plenty of political criticism through its script. By placing an oil magnate, a rich, eccentric and outrageous man, at the center of an imminent environmental catastrophe, Inñaritu forces the audience to confront issues that affect today’s society, such as the neglect of climate changes and the enormous amount of power held by billionaires.
Something interesting to mention is that Tom Cruise, who fell in love with Inñaritu’s work after watching his famous film Amores Perros, is known for taking neutral positions when it comes to political matters. However, when giving life to Digger Rockwell, the Hollywood star delivers such a sensitive performance that it is impossible not to see his connection to the criticism explored in the film, as he portrays an old and extremely rich man driven by ego and survival at all costs. A very different role from what we are used to seeing him in.
One thing that remains easy to identify in Tom Cruise’s acting, and what makes it so unique, whether it’s an action, romance or satirical film, is the use of his body.
Cruise as Digger
What elevates this movie beyond the political satire we have already seen tons of times is how Tom Cruise translates all this criticism into raw physical action. Almost theatrical and exaggerated in the perfect measure, every move from Digger Rockwell mirrors his relationship with the environmental disaster he’s caused.
Instead of running away from his responsibility and guilt, our magnate moves with an aggressive and frantic energy that reflects his hero complex: the belief that he could solve a massive destruction by himself.
Another interesting element of Cruise’s character building that could never go unseen is the shovel. A heavy object that always seems to be in the way. The various moments of other characters literally tripping over it, the shovel serves as a visual metaphor: Digger handles it anytime in a theatrical movement and physically “dig” his way out of a disaster of his own making. Or, as John Goodman’s character, President Compson, said:
Digger here got us into this mess and Digger’s gonna dig us out again. – President Compson
At the same time, all the exaggerated movements, heavy strides and strained posture from Cruise create a perfect contrast with the untouchable image of a billionaire CEO and political figure. He understands Inñaritu’s point of view and channels it, demonstrating through his body how performative the actions of those in power can be, as they constantly turn global catastrophes and big problems into personal theater.
64 into 65
Another element from this production that’s strongly eye-catching is 64-year-old Tom Cruise’s characterization to play 65-year-old Digger Rockwell. The character was created with a lot of prosthetics, heavy makeup and incredible artists who, at the actor’s request, turned a six-hour work into just one. When interviewed on BBC‘s The Graham Norton Show, the actor humorously described the process of reducing the time spent in the makeup chair without compromising the results.
“There’s 24 hours in the day, you all know what it’s like. You go into prosthetics at 6 hours, I’m going okay, that’s 18 hours. We shoot for 12 hours. […] So what I said is: ‘Listen, we’re gonna get it down to an hour. […] So what I did was: I got a stopwatch and I put on each part every day how they did it faster and faster.” – Tom Cruise
Digging his way into the Academy Awards’ stage
The answer to whether Tom Cruise could finally earn his long-awaited Academy Award lies in his amazing transformation on screen. Beyond the prosthetics, Cruise is almost unrecognizable.
Leaving aside his “Tom Cruise star power” for this work, he allows the character to take center stage. His portrayal of a powerful billionaire under global pressure is raw, theatrical and undoubtedly worthy of taking the Oscar home.
——————————————————–
The article above was edited by Rafaela Mina.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!