Typically, when a new Tom Cruise movie comes out, the reviews are instantly in his favor. Upon release on October 2, 2026, viewers didn’t know what to expect from his newest film, Digger. Before it was even released, it was theorized that the film might secretly be a musical. Well, it didn’t turn out to be true, but it has still been a shocker nonetheless, as it’s received shockingly bad reviews. The film has won the approval of one movie reviewer, though. It’s not one you’d expect. The godfather of grunge, Neil Young.
On October 8, 2026, Neil Young penned a raving review for Digger directly on his website. He stated, “Digger is the best film I have ever seen. None of the reviews I have read describe this film adequately, in my opinion. They seem to miss the overall effect, and most of them are negative. This film lives in a world of art. It is its own best review. Don’t read any other reviews and forget this one before you see Digger.”
You’d think that pretty much sums up his feelings for the new film, but he didn’t stop there. He then went into great detail in three more paragraphs. He claimed that looking at the film as just a Tom Cruise film is “misleading,” stating, “I do not view this film as a commercial venture. Rather, it is an artful film of our times. The things that are said in Digger are a direct reflection of today’s political and social world. The film is so full of artful expression and radical change ups that it may be too much to take in for those expecting a commercial film like we are used to today.”
Neil Young’s Glowing Review CONTRASTS The Box Office Results
Despite Neil Young’s praise, Digger has been a historic box office flop. In its opening weekend, the film grossed $8 million in North America. This is Tom Cruise’s lowest opening weekend in decades. The film cost an estimated $160 million to $180 million to produce. The studio spent roughly $100 million on marketing alone, even though no one knew what to expect from the apocalyptic black comedy. I mean, we didn’t even know for sure that it wouldn’t be a musical. The film is expected to gross around $50 million worldwide, losing roughly $245 million for Warner Bros. Pictures.
Neil Young does make some good points in his assessment, though. Movie lovers have been pushing something unique and different for quite some time. He praised the film for being “Artfully created and directed” and added, “This story is so familiar that it may be missed. It is today’s world of politics and commercial overload. A must-see for those frustrated by the lack of genuine engagement present in much, if not all, of today’s offerings. Digger is not to be missed.”
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