FILM REVIEW: "Digger" strikes cinema gold
Death won't arrive upon the back of a pale mare; he'll arrive in the front of a Cadillac Biarritz. His grin will clear forests, and his laugh will crack ice sheets. He won't know the tide is rising 'til it soddens his boots. When Digger Rockwell's oil enterprise triggers a global catastrophe, he takes it upon himself to shape the narrative. Erstwhile, those caught in the chaos must reckon with trials and tribulations far beyond their control.
Digger, the new film from auteur Alejandro Iñárritu, harkens the truth that ineptitude and greed are a greater threat than the nuclear stockpile. It's Doctor Strangelove for the climate crisis - and as such, it is polarising many viewers. Digger is not your average Tom Cruise vehicle (though it is some of his best work yet); it is a credible work of art that demands your attention, literacy, ear and mind. It is not a popcorn thriller to switch off in, it is a frighteningly plausible comedy of errors that begs you to engage. Digger takes a heel turn at the end of its first act, which is where you will fall in or out of love with it (and I will not spoil it). Irrespective, director Iñárritu is in complete control of his craft, especially so as its literal and metaphorical tectonic shift takes place.
Digger is a culmination of all Iñárritu's craftwork: the miraculous long takes of Children of Men, the gorgeous scenery of Prisoner of Azkaban, the swivelling genres of Birdman and the career-best performances of The Revenant. His craft is precise, prestigious and blisteringly original. Polarising, Digger may be, there are simply no other films like it these days. From the White House to the end of the world, Digger is beautiful to behold. Frequent cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, lets the camera wander on its own through halls of justice and hollows of theatres, letting us marvel at Dennis Gasser and Anna Pinnock's ferociously detailed sets. Digger is a feast for the eyes, and paired with Cosmo Sheldrakes’ bird-call inspired score, an utter splendour to the senses. All this would be for naught if it weren't for leading man, Tom Cruise, and the slew of remarkable supporting actors who fill the scenes. Cruise is at the top of his game (and could be destined for an Oscar). He is utterly excellent as the larger-than-life gung-ho namesake oil tycoon, yet even better as the film progresses, and the permafrost encasing his stone-cold caricature dribbles away, revealing layers of vulnerability rarely seen in his illustrious career. Digger gives the veteran actor a multifaceted role few others could make work. Opposite him, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Corey Johnson and Robert Burke are exceptional as the bumbling top brass, mitigating one disaster for another.
Digger is proving to be polarising - then again, so was Babylon. Take that as you will. Digger is a uncanny and unapologetic - it's ludicrous, hilarious and sometimes quite frightening. It doesn't just poke fun at our current climate predicament; it actively shirtfronts those responsible. It is a film that goes far further than the premise describes on paper and is simultaneously far more intimate than its national threats. Casual audiences beware, but for those willing to engage with Digger’s unique sensibilities, you may find that you have struck cinematic gold.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth - and damned be the haught, for they shall leave it in ruin.
4 out of 5 stars
Digger is in cinemas now.
Header Image: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
