5 Reasons to Watch ‘Digger’ (2026) | Film Probe Analysis

5 Reasons to Watch ‘Digger’ (2026) 

Despite everyone telling you this film is terrible, I still want to convince you that it is in fact the opposite. 

‘Digger’ has been subject to a mass amount of conversation dismissing its narrative, undermining its plot and outrightly saying it is terrible. As someone who functions and works within the circles of film critics and tiktokers, I can confidently tell you the general consensus with this film is confused and unimpressed but to me, this film is an example of intelligent filmmaking that sparks conversation. 

I have always been one to encourage conversation around cinema because festering with your own thoughts can be exhausting, discussion is when some of the best interpretations comes out and conversations can be an opportunity to share perspective and insight. 

This blog post contains a few indirect spoilers for the film. I haven’t explicitly said what the films ‘twist’ is but I do use a lot of descriptions that could spoilt it for you. So, if you haven’t seen Digger and you plan on watching it, maybe proceed with caution. 

Here are 5 reasons why I think you should watch ‘Digger’; 

GO WATCH ORIGINAL STORIES IN THE CINEMA, PLEASE! 

#1 Original Storytelling & Writing 

I genuinely believe you cannot beg for original stories and then choose not go to the cinema to watch them. ‘Digger’ is the epitome of original storytelling, like only a handful of films we have seen recently, Digger is unapologetically unique. 

Now, this isn’t a question of liking a film or disliking the film based on its original concept. You can still dislike a film that is original but I will say, you cannot dismiss it until you see it for yourself. I would argue that dismissing Digger because of the online consensus that it’s bad leads itself to a much bigger conversation of supporting cinema. 

We’ve all seen the news, we know Hollywood is dying, studios are relying more and more of IP’s and remakes to secure their investments because we aren’t watching movies like ‘Digger’ or ‘Forgotten Island’. Another Avengers Movie on the way? Great. Another legacy sequel of a film that came out in 1992? Amazing. No, these are the types of films we want. Outlandish, brash, outspoken, unapologetic films that try to do something new. 

The conversation around ‘Digger’ is part of cinematic experience. Sure, a lot of it is negative but the conversation is still happening and it’s encouraging me to make a post like this. No such thing as bad publicity hey? ‘Digger’ is a brash, bold, unapologetically chaotic story that will overwhelm you with questions and uncertainty.

TOM CRUISE AS DIGGER

#2 performances

Is it finally time for Tom Cruise to receive his Oscar? Maybe. I do think he is up against a fierce competition this year but I do think he has secured himself a nomination to say the least. 

His performance is unlike anything we’ve seen him do and he does it with every ounce of conviction. Tom Cruise is an actor whose work I have admired for a very long time, he had touched every genre, he’s uttered some of the most famous lines of dialogue in cinema history and he still continues to surprise me. The key to a true performer, a real actor, is melting into their roles. Tom Cruise is like a chameleon, he simply adopts his new character with ease and lives every mannerism and breath as reality. 

Tom Cruise’s role within this film is pretty ironic, a film commenting on the power hungry, extremely wealthy, the often delusional and selfish people who make decisions in our world and yet Tom Cruise is playing the lead. The irony is not lost on me but nonetheless it still worked, maybe that casting choice wasn’t a subtle commentary on how much power and responsibility actors have in our world but I personally think it was. ‘Digger’ is a film inherently about performance and relying on the means of entertainment when the world has crumbled around us, maybe when our reality descends into chaos, Tom Cruise will be performing for us? 

I also wanted to add that the lead performance from Cruise is not the only one worth mentioning.  The whole ensemble cast bring immensely memorable performances to screen and helped sell the whole film for me. Riz Ahmed and Sophie Wilde were two particular standouts for me but also John Goodman, Jesse Plemons and Sandra Hüller. 

Performative Nature of Society

#3 Meaning & Themes

‘Digger’ isn’t a subtle film by any means. It is glaringly obvious what this film is trying to tell us. To think this film is not intentionally obvious means you may have missed the mark. ‘Digger’ is a performance, is it performative by nature and therefore exceedingly picky with details. 

To some, the obvious commentary on climate change, extreme wealth and power, animal welfare, fossil fuels, the rise of AI and robotics may seem preachy but to me, I thought it was hilariously performative and that is the nature of this film. 

The commentary on all of these issues shines a light on the performance we continue to entertain… society. We are part of the problem because we are unable to make a difference, so what do humans look to in those times of turmoil and decay? entertainment. We are simple creatures.

I loved the double meaning when it came to the element of performance in ‘Digger’, we are watching a stage play of reality. We are watching a show of a tragedy take place and be manipulated into a comedy for the comfort of those who are still living with the implications of the impact. Digger reminds us how important performance is to our society, lying, pretending and trying to comfort one another. 

Digger is glaringly obvious in its approach, we all know climate change is happening, we all know those in power make indescribably chaotic decisions that never benefit us and yet, we all take ourselves to the cinema to switch off for a few hours except this time, the film reminds us just how ridiculous that is. 

Holy s*** the sound!

#4 composition

One of the key elements of this film is the immense use of sound design to compliment everything within the frame. Film composition includes everything within the visual frame but also the dialogue, sound & musical score. Sound design, score and soundtrack often get overlooked when people watch a film but to me, this is one of the most crucial elements and ‘Digger’ delivered.

‘Digger’ uses sound in a jarring, uncomfortable way that reminds the audience which reality we are in. The sound scape of the film was deeply eerie and yet energetically funny, the music was able to take me on a journey of emotion within noticing. That is the reason  love sound design because behind the chaos of the performances and the madness happening on screen, the score is able to tether you to the emotional depth of the scene. 

Digger used harsh, loud orchestral moments to shock the audience into the film. The sound made me jump a few times and I liked the jarring nature of it. The sound design was something I walked out of the cinema and couldn’t stop thinking about. 

Is it trying to be funny?

#5 Genre & Vision

The simple answer is yes 

but in a slapstick, dramatic style of humour which doesn’t always land but strangely, I think this is the point...

Maybe I am too forgiving but ‘Digger’ is a dark comedy and it did make me laugh but it also made me feel unforgettably bleak and disheartened. I found the nature of the comedy to be intense, at moments it was trying very hard to make you laugh but others the comedy came naturally. Again, I think this comes down to the performative nature of the films narrative, the film is trying to make you feel something, trying to make you laugh, cry, smile, anything and sometimes that doesn’t work. To some, that is a failure from the writing or the performance but to me, I found it to be a funny commentary on perspective. 

The story of Digger reminds us how doomed we are if we don’t change and with that fear comes comedy. Sophie Wilde’s character even says at the climax of the films final act, ‘they need to laugh about it!’. 

‘Digger’ is a dark comedy and if you’ve seen any of Alejandro’s previous works you know he has a warped view of reality and performance but something about Digger felt like his best yet. I think Digger may just be his most thought provoking film yet and that is saying something! 

Overall | Thank you so much for reading my extended thoughts on ‘Digger’. 

This film has really stuck with me after watching, not in an overtly negative or positive way but because it was something so fresh and exciting to me. I love films and filmmakers who try to do something unique, something that I could never conceive in my lifetime, something so brash and wild that it leaves me thinking, ‘what on earth did I just watch’. ‘Digger’ did that for me, it made me think. It made me wonder. It made me sit down and write, Digger in some way inspired me and I love that about cinema. 

Cinema that encourages me to write, forces me to think is sometimes the greatest stories of all. 

On the surface, Digger could be interpreted as a basic commentary on climate change, again. Or, if you want to peel away a few layers from the films surface, lying underneath is a really cool film that explores sound, cinematography, framing, dialogue, camera movement and on top of that, performance. 

As someone who lives for theatre and film, ‘Digger’ really resonated with me. 

As someone who loves to unearth the most vile people in our society, Digger worked for me. 

Did I dig it? Yes I did.