Guillermo Del Toro openly declares his love for “Digger.”
Del Toro took to X to address detractors of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s film ahead of its release on Friday. “Completely Junk headline,” the director wrote in response to Warner Bros.’ criticism. R-rated black comedy. “Like it or hate it. And yes, I do. The film delivers big screen-level scale, ambition and reach. It’s bold, bold and cinematically complex. It’s an absolutely theatrical experience.”
Del Toro also reposted positive reviews from others, including a review praising Tom Cruise’s performance as the film’s leading man.
“Funny, I log into the platform and before I scroll down these appear at the top of my timeline…” she wrote alongside the post. “So… I’ll keep posting them. Join or leave…” Another posted: “Dig or Die – come on!”
Del Toro also compared the negative reviews of “Digger” to the films “The Big Lebowski”, “The King of Comedy” and “The Counselor”; All of these were scrutinized upon release but later won the admiration of audiences.
“Digger” currently sits at just 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. DiversityChief film critic Owen Gleiberman said that although the film felt like a comedy, it wasn’t actually funny. Gleiberman wrote in his review: “I’m not sure ‘Digger’ will make a connection, because it’s so full of itself, it’s so self-important.” “The film cost over $125 million to make, and that figure is probably not large enough to justify itself; it is a testament to the arrogance of the filmmakers, their assumption that we will join in droves to this gravely absurd lesson.”
The film grossed just $3.4 million at the domestic box office on Friday, following a flurry of negative reviews and word of mouth prior to its opening. The film is poised to be one of the biggest flops of the year, earning just $7.5 million domestically in its opening weekend.
Cruise also went to X to support “Digger” on Saturday, writing that he was “honored to have the opportunity to make this film with such talented artists.”