Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear and Death Stranding series, has weighed in on the controversial Tom Cruise film Digger, drawing a direct comparison between the movie and his own 2001 game, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Both works, according to Kojima, explore the manipulation of reality through powerful narratives, particularly in the age of social media.
In a recent post on X, Kojima expressed his admiration for Digger, calling it a film that "all of us living in today’s world should see." He elaborated on these thoughts in a conversation with Digger director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, published by Gizmodo Japan. "In 2001, I made a game called Metal Gear Solid 2," Kojima explained. "At that time, social media didn't exist yet, but I created a story where social media had a kind of life of its own. That has now become a reality, and it's the same with Digger."
Both Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2 tackle themes of misinformation and how perceived reality can be altered by those in power. Iñárritu echoed this sentiment, noting, "We are living in a new reality imposed upon us by things we cannot actually experience. And I think we share that feeling. It's scary, isn't it? Really scary. It's terrifying."
Beyond their shared thematic concerns, the two works are also noted for their narrative subversions. Digger, despite its marketing as a political satire, reveals an early-game twist that reframes the entire story as a play. This meta-narrative approach, Kojima and Iñárritu suggest, comments on the value of art and the absurdity of governing systems, particularly in an era of pervasive online discourse. Similarly, Metal Gear Solid 2 famously surprised players by shifting the focus from Solid Snake to the then-new character Raiden, leading players through a story deeply concerned with deception and the unreliability of information.
Kojima's comparison highlights a shared artistic approach to challenging audience expectations and provoking deeper reflection on the nature of reality and media consumption. Both Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2 utilize narrative misdirection to explore complex societal themes, urging viewers and players alike to question the information presented to them.