CINEMA FOR THE PEOPLE

Digger, the latest from uncompromising Mexican auteur Alejandro González Iñárritu, seems purposely designed to frustrate any angle of enjoyment a casual viewer might pursue.

One might think that having nearly thirty more years of experience as a filmmaker under his belt would lead this remake of Serpent’s Path to feel more refined and perhaps even better than the original. However, while the French version is more polished, it is the angry, messy energy that makes the original film tick.

Anchored by a trio of strong performances from its lead actresses, the film puts a nice spin on the classic Faustian storyline but loses itself while upping the ante to near-ludicrous levels.