After “Digger” was attacked by critics – and bombed at the box office – the exaggerated “reviews” from online influencers now seem even more unbalanced.
I was struck while scrolling through Instagram this week by an influencer who filmed himself walking home after seeing “Digger” and practically hyperventilating, covering his mouth and gasping for air between screams of joy, wondering “What did I just see? and hyperbolically proclaiming the film beyond a masterpiece.
He is not alone.
A host of the online movie show “Raiders of the Lost Podcast” – who has 578.3K followers on TikTok and landed the star of “Digger” Tom Cruise as a guest – said directly on camera in a message after seeing an advanced screening of the film: “Here are my predictions…I think ‘Digger’ will probably go down as the most important film of the 21st century. Not to be hyperbolic. (And) Tom will finally win his first acting Oscar.”
He went on to say of the film: “It was mind-blowing. My jaw was on the floor. And Alejandro González Iñárritu must have been a wizard… it’s just mind-boggling. It’s coming out in a few weeks, and I’m just very grateful to have seen the movie… You guys go for a ride, I’m going to see it again at the premiere, but… ‘Digger’ is just completely unique and on a different stratosphere when it comes to film design. production, the acting, the stunts, the wardrobe, it’s just phenomenal… Get ready everyone, let’s go.
As a reminder, 21st century films include: “There Will Be Blood”, “Parasite”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”, “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “No Country for Old Men”, but we digress…
Maybe if “Digger” hadn’t been such a box office hit and critical dud, the bizarrely over-the-top reactions from influencers wouldn’t be so painful.
A commenter soberly reacted to the “Raiders of the Lost Podcast” host’s stance by posting: “I sincerely believe you like this film, but we don’t really know what a paid promo is with you these days. It’s not your fault, even if the rules around journalism have disappeared.”
Other influencers blasted “Digger” and said, “I just finished watching this movie, just came out of the theater…Tom Cruise should be nominated for an Oscar…he’s really great in this, it’s one of the best performances of his career,” as well as, “I don’t even know where to start, but I’ll start with this…I’m in a movie promotion with Tom Cruise!” and “Tom Cruise did a phenomenal job…I wouldn’t be surprised if he got an award for it.”
Many influencer raves seem to have elements in common: the word “masterpiece,” an intro that says they just saw the movie or just left the theater (and had to immediately get on camera?), and predictions that Cruise will obviously get an Oscar.
But as the host of the Oscars podcast, “Mike, Mike and Oscar,” points out in his own Instagram clip: “‘Digger’ has been promoted in every corner of the movie internet over the last week. And Tom Cruise has FaceTimed with seemingly every influencer available. What was the point? An intentional mix-up by (Warner Bros.) that ends up helping…no one.”
The clip adds: “What good does it do to the studios where the critics see the movie – the paid professionals – and film it. But if you go online and search for the movie itself, well, it’s ‘the greatest thing you’ve ever seen.’ actor.” We study the Academy 24/7, and if he does, it will be the first type of movie to make such a splash at the box office and have an Oscar-winning actor.
We previously reported on a highly controlled event on the Warner Bros. site. this year to unveil the film’s trailer – where scores of influencers were invited to see the preview and pose for photos (provided by the studio, no phones allowed) with Cruise.
There’s no doubt that many of the influencers who (proverbially or literally?) signed up to go on the journey are now the ones calling the film, which opened to $8 million, the best of this century.
Another movie influencer said in his post, “I feel like what ‘Digger’ does so brilliantly is it brings everyone together.”
But did it happen?
Gn entert
