Ambition of Digger dwarfs competition
It would be easy to dismiss Tom Cruise’s latest as Oscar bait – and let’s be honest, it is – but there’s much more at play in Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Digger. Brilliant and daring, this instant classic takes no prisoners in going after myriad institutions, the film a primal scream giving voice to the fear, frustration and anger directed at those who profit at the expense of us all and our planet. And yet, the movie is so much more than a broadside directed at big business, corrupt politicians and the malleable media as it also speaks to the vital nature of art and its ability to sustain us during the darkest times or heal us vicariously.
Digger (Cruise) is the smartest oil man in the world. Just ask him. So much so, that he has a bad habit of ignoring or browbeating into submission anyone or anything that opposes him. His arrogance ultimately results in a catastrophic disaster. Having ignored reports that methane gas rising from Greenland’s ocean floor had reached dangerous levels beneath one of his drilling platforms, he’s startled to hear that a large chunk of a nearby ice shelf has broken off as a result. Five times the size of Washington, D.C., this runaway iceberg is headed toward the coast of Norway and there’s no way to stop it.
Once alerted, the president (John Goodman) weighs blowing it into little pieces, ignoring environmental expert Dr. Ganesh’s (Riz Ahmed) warning that it will cause further dire ramifications. Yet, Digger may just have a plan to save the day, that is if he’s allowed to act and the media doesn’t blow things too far out of proportion.
And then, something happens …
It’s understood that critics will not divulge key plot points so as not to spoil any surprises any film might hold, yet it was made explicit this not occur before the Digger screening.
I gladly adhere to this as the impact of movie can only be truly appreciated by keeping certain things under wraps. Suffice it to say, the surprises here add a vital layer to the thematic foundation of the film, its meaning becoming more complex and impactful as a result.
The Dr. Strangelove of the 21st century, the movie’s satire is a broad as it is pointed, its dark humor driving home the absurdity of the world we live in. The president and his cabinet are portrayed as reactionary, out-of-touch buffoons, nearly all of them looking for opportunities to curry favor from their leader or in the case of the military leaders, bask in the reflected glory by putting the nation’s military might on display. As for big business, their corruption knows no bounds, Digger’s massive home a tribute to avarice and ego. The numerous animal trophies that decorate his home speak of his willingness to rape the environment in every way for profit. Conscience, if it ever existed, is just so much collateral damage to men like him.
As for the media, the phrase “control the narrative” is bandied about again and again. And while it is central to the story, it also applies in a post-modern sense as Inarritu is manipulating the plot in multiple ways, affecting not only how we perceive all that’s going on in the film, but commenting on the power of media in its various forms. Before all is said and done, how we each look at art, what it means to us and how we use it individually and as a society prove to be the key to Digger’s meaning.
The film’s cast is dynamite from top to bottom, Goodman stealing nearly every scene he’s in as the ailing and near mad president, while Michael Stuhlbarg shines as his patsy of a second-in-command. Ahmed is effective as well, his Ganesh going from being one of Digger’s cowering underlings to a man of conviction, while Sandra Huller as the title character’s sister commands our attention whenever she appears. If the film has a fault, it’s that she’s underused.
As for Cruise, this is not a stunt. What you see is an actor at the top of his game, pouring all he’s learned over the course of his career into a dynamic, layered performance. A polemic actor, there are those who will never give him his due, which is a shame. To be sure, there are some outsized moments here but they’re appropriate for the egomaniac he’s playing. A monologue before the leaders of the free world in which Digger takes responsibility for his actions while pointing out the hypocrisy of his critics, is an electrifying moment and one of the best scenes of the year. Cruise fiercely takes command and delivers not simply a grand movie moment but a diatribe that holds up a mirror to us all. And yet, it’s in the film’s quiet moments, where we see him dispense with the artifice that he truly shines.
Digger is the sort of film that challenges audiences and as a result, I fear positive word-of-mouth will be scarce and people will stay away. I hope that’s not the case, as the movie requires multiple viewings to take in all it has to say. Its message may be a hard one to hear yet one of the functions of art is help us process that which is difficult, Inarritu offering us that opportunity as an avenue so that we may cure what ails us. A film of our age and for the ages, Digger is an urgent piece of work that, with its daring, is one of the best movies of the year and one that will resonate long after its by-the-numbers competition fades from memory. In Theaters.
Beast’s heart in the right place
Ignoring W.C. Fields’ advice about working with children and animals, Brad Pitt does the latter in Heart of the Beast, an engaging and surprisingly moving survival tale that finds the movie star sharing the screen with a very expressive dog. Actually, it’s four dogs but the primary canine who has the most screen time with Pitt, manages to be nearly as emotive as his human co-star. This is not a dig at the Oscar winner but rather a tip of the hat to the four-legged thespian.
The premise of Cameron Alexander’s script is a model of simplicity. Retired Special Forces veteran James Belmont (Pitt) has set out to find solace in the wilds of Alaska. With his trusty pooch Odin by his side, they fly into the most remote area, content to while away their time fishing and communing with nature. Through flashbacks we see that they are both suffering from PTSD. Their physical and psychological scars run deep, yet the bond they have, forged in combat, is unbreakable.
Unfortunately, their sense of solace is broken by an unexpected storm. Though they’re able to pack up and take to the air, Belmont suffers a heart attack mid-flight. Incapacitated, their plane drops from the sky, crashing in a lake. Both injured, man and beast must now come together to hike nearly 60 miles to the nearest road, a trek that will test their mettle as they deal with the unpredictable elements, rugged terrain, a curious grizzly and a tenacious wolfpack.
Essentially a two-hander – rather, one hand and one paw – director David Ayer keeps things moving at a brisk pace, the pair stumbling from one dire situation to another. Yet, Alexander’s script wisely devotes ample time to the bond between the two leads. Flashbacks inform us of their combat experiences while their current trials exemplify again and again the loyalty the exists between them. None of this is done overtly, with sentiment kept at a minimum. Actions speak louder than words, the affection between Pitt and his co-star obviously genuine with no exploitation of it needed.
Equally effective is the depiction of the arduous trials and brutal conditions Belmont and Odin must contend with. The New Zealand locations used to stand in for Alaska are, of course, gorgeous though that belies the danger they contain. Raging rapids, steep inclines, freezing rain and dangerous swamps must be dealt with, while a sequence in which the pair must fight a group of ravenous wolves is a truly harrowing moment.
Far from a simple boy’s adventure, this is a sincere testament not only to the unbreakable bond that exists between a human and their dog but to the many combat canines that have served. This is dramatically driven home during the final moments of the film’s third act in which the depth of the connection between these soldier’s is laid bare. Belmont expresses his admiration and love for Odin in the most unexpected of ways, Pitt wisely underplaying the moment to poignant effect. Don’t be surprised if you shed a tear or two as this plays out.
With its simple premise and charismatic stars, it would have come as no surprise if Heart was nothing but a simple adventure. Credit Ayer, Alexander, Pitt and Odin for delivering so much more, a genuinely moving experience that speaks to the special connection that can exist between man and beast and the immeasurable impact that can have on our lives. In Theaters.
Tables turn in Primetime
Much like its subject matter, Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime manipulates the viewer at every turn. And while the intent may be different, the result is no less lurid or undisputed. Purposely, the film plays out like a piece of sensationalism found in “The National Enquirer,” exaggerating pieces of the narrative, conveniently omitting others, all in the name of presenting a slanted fact-based story. Were its subject in the least bit sympathetic, there’d be a chorus of objections to Oppenheim’s work. That not being the case, audiences will likely revel in this instance of the chickens coming home to roost.
The film opens with a recreation from the “To Catch a Predator” segment from NBC’s “news” program Dateline. For those unfamiliar with this particularly heinous piece of television, it was a hidden camera piece that recorded the arrival of men who’d been lured by an online decoy with promises of sex with a person, who they thought, was underage. Upon arriving, they would be confronted by “reporter” Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), who would revel in the uncomfortable nature of the situation, question just why the men were there and soon turn them over to the police.
It comes as no surprise that the American public, circa 2006, is eating this up, so much so, Hansen is offered his own primetime show built around this concept. And while dollar signs motivate him, it’s the fame that tempts him most, driving him to come up with something more sensational. His producer, Andie Bender (Merritt Wever) is as ruthless as he is and has no qualms about getting the most perverted targets in their crosshairs.
Whether what Hansen and his crew were doing was morally justified or not, whether what they were involved in was entrapment is a discussion for another forum. There’s little doubt where Oppenheim stands regarding these issues, his sympathy lying with the program’s targets, his portrayal of Hansen, monstrous.
Purposely grainy, the aesthetic has a seedy look to it, underscoring the sordid nature of the “Predator”program and those who produce it. An excellent Pattinson takes a cool approach to Hansen, portraying him as vapid and bloodless, employing a reptilian demeanor when in front of the camera, becoming an immature child away from it. Often cast in cool blues, his cold nature becomes more exaggerated as the film progresses, any semblance of a soul he may have possessed eventually leeched away in his pursuit of validation.
Dan Plum is the conscience of the piece, a young actor hired as the decoy used to lure the unsuspecting into the den of “Predator.” Thinking he’s gotten his big break, he sees his stint on the show as a launching pad for his acting career. Initially seduced by the attention he receives, he ultimately begins to question his role on the show and whether the kind of justice their dispensing justifies the “crimes” being committed. It’s an intriguing subplot that keeps the film afloat when it begins to falter and Skyler Gisondo delivers a moving performance as Plum.
Primetime ultimately overstays its welcome but its unflinching examination of this particular chapter of tabloid television keeps us hooked until the end. As such, we’re not much better than “Predator’s” viewers, eager to witness the public downfall of a subject we’ve been manipulated into hating. And yet what ultimately befalls Hansen seems unjust. That he would go on to find continued success in other television arenas after the demise of “Predator” is hardly the kind of feel-good story viewers demand. In Theaters.
This article appears in September 24-30, 2026.
