Trailer Review: Digger — Tom Cruise ditches the action-hero playbook for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s wildest ride yet

If you were expecting another Tom Cruise sprint across rooftops, think again.

The first trailer for Digger is gloriously unhinged. Cruise, who has spent decades redefining the modern action hero with the Mission: Impossible franchise, isn’t flexing impossible stunts or hanging off airplanes here. Instead, he leans into age, vulnerability and something far more unsettling—a deeply flawed, profanity-spewing world leader convinced he’s humanity’s last hope.

And it works.

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the trailer feels less like a conventional blockbuster and more like a fever dream wrapped in political satire, psychological drama and apocalyptic spectacle. Cruise plays “the most powerful man in the world,” but this isn’t a noble leader. He’s a man teetering on the edge of delusion, desperately trying to convince everyone that he alone can save humanity from a catastrophe he appears to have unleashed himself.

The footage is chaotic in the best way possible. One moment, Cruise is delivering expletive-filled tirades with manic conviction; the next, cities seem to be crumbling as society descends into panic. There’s a surreal energy running through the trailer, making it difficult to predict where the story is headed—and that’s precisely what makes it so compelling.

Unlike Ethan Hunt, Cruise doesn’t need to outrun explosions here. His greatest battle appears to be with his own ego and the crushing weight of power. It’s refreshing to see the 64-year-old star step away from relying solely on physicality and embrace a role that demands unpredictability over athleticism. His performance looks theatrical, volatile and even darkly funny.

The supporting cast—including Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons and John Goodman—flashes by in snippets, each appearing to inhabit a world populated by disillusioned, abrasive people, many of whom seem to believe they have their own version of a saviour complex. No one appears particularly heroic. Everyone looks a little broken, a little cynical and entirely fascinating.

Visually, the trailer is breathtaking. Emmanuel Lubezki’s signature cinematography lends even the most chaotic moments an eerie elegance, while Iñárritu’s knack for blending intimate human drama with large-scale existential crises is evident in every frame.

If there’s one criticism, it’s that the trailer is intentionally cryptic. Beyond the broad premise, it offers few clues about the narrative, leaving audiences to decipher whether Digger is a satire, a thriller, a dark comedy or all three rolled into one.

But perhaps that’s the point.

In an era of trailers that reveal entire plots, Digger thrives on mystery, madness and the sheer novelty of seeing Tom Cruise completely abandon his action-star comfort zone.

Verdict: The trailer promises an audacious, expletive-laced, visually spectacular descent into power, delusion and the dangerous allure of playing saviour. It’s weird, unpredictable and easily one of the most intriguing first looks at a Tom Cruise film in years.