Warner Bros. Launches 'Decide for Yourself' Campaign as 'Digger' Reviews Split

Key points

• Warner Bros. released a new ad for 'Digger' on Sept. 29, featuring quotes like 'Masterpiece' and 'Unpleasant' to highlight mixed reactions.
• The film stars Tom Cruise as 'Digger' Rockwell, an oil tycoon whose drilling causes a massive ice floe to break away from the Arctic, threatening global disaster.
• Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the film is a climate crisis satire that has received a 52% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
• The ad was posted an hour before the review embargo lifted, attempting to get ahead of critical consensus.
• The film opens in theaters on Oct. 2, with tickets on sale now.

Background

Tom Cruise has been heavily promoting 'Digger' in recent weeks, including a discussion on The Tonight Show with Taylor Swift and a podcast appearance where he discussed reducing his prosthetic makeup time from six hours to under an hour. The film is part of a broader strategy following the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, where Cruise advocated for a high-volume output of films.

How outlets are covering it

Variety notes that the 'decide for yourself' campaign was a strategic move to counter negative buzz from early influencers and critics, highlighting the film's polarizing nature. The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes the brutal split in reviews, ranging from 'audacious, risky, terrific fun' to 'the worst movie of Tom Cruise’s career.' The Guardian criticizes the film as 'exasperatingly shallow' and 'laborious,' while praising its visual elements. Critics like Owen Gleiberman of Variety and David Ehrlich of IndieWire were particularly harsh, calling the film 'so full of itself' and a 'surreal misfire,' respectively. Conversely, outlets like The London Evening Standard and Deadline praised the film's ambition and Cruise's performance.

Why it matters

The release of 'Digger' and its polarized reception highlight the ongoing debate in Hollywood about the effectiveness of climate change satire in mainstream cinema. The film's high budget and star power, combined with its divisive critical reception, raise questions about audience reception and the future of such projects in a competitive market. The 'decide for yourself' campaign also reflects the industry's strategy to manage public perception in the face of mixed reviews.

What to watch

The film opens in theaters on Oct. 2, and its box office performance will be a key indicator of audience reception. The polarized reviews may impact its chances in the upcoming Oscar race, as noted by USA Today. Warner Bros. will likely continue to monitor public sentiment and may adjust its marketing strategy based on initial box office results.