Don't look at Tom Cruise’s new Digger poster if you're a perfectionist

Tom Cruise's latest film, Digger, has caught the attention of movie fans thanks to his unconventional appearance that's a sharp departure from his slick, action-man Top Gun days. But it's not just Cruise's new look that's caught people's attention. It's all about the stylish movie campaign.

While there are no strict rules for creating the best movie posters, Diggers' stylised compositions and quirky typography have already earned the film some serious praise – until the latest poster dropped. If you're prone to perfectionism, I'd look away now.

The poster in question features a collage-style image of the near-unrecognisable Cruise against a coloured background. His strange, wide-legged stance and the poster's mix of warm colours and monochrome give it an unconventional retro appeal that shines in its boldness. So what's the issue? Take a look at Cruise's right leg and notice the colour blocking compared to the other side. That's right, folks, we have some asymmetrical sinning going on.

Naturally, it didn't go unnoticed by critics who sounded off on X. "All love but this not being green is pissing me tf off," one X user shared, gesturing to the colour blunder. "I didn't even notice it, and now I'm wondering how I'll sleep tonight... thanks, I guess," one disturbed commenter replied, while another added, "That tiny orange patch is doing an unreasonable amount of emotional damage."

I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say the stylistic decision was a conscious one, and not simply a bodged design. Given the rustic, asymmetric nature of the film's logo, the poster's imperfect design could reflect that. "You're not paying attention to the gesture of the pose, the nuance of spirit. You're too graphic design coded. You need to be more nature coded," one X user countered. "Your idea ruins the balance and the feeling of motion of the background. Let the pros do the job," another wrote.

For more poster design news, check out the Enola Holmes 3 poster that was accused of being AI slop thanks to its countless flaws or take a look at why horror movie poster design has a problem.