Ray Gunn Review (2026 BFI London Film Festival)
Brad Bird is a defining voice of the late 90s and 2000s of animation. The Iron Giant is a cult classic that defined my early childhood. Ratatouille solidified my love for the medium that is animation. His dream project, Ray Gunn has been in the works since his turn at Turner Feature Animation but has only come to life now under the Skydance Animation and Netflix banner. While controversial names like John Lasseter and David Ellison are attached as producers, a scary sight to see given recent news, Ray Gunn still proves that Bird is one of the greatest creatives in animation.
Ray Gunn (Sam Rockwell) is one of the last remaining private investigators in the futuristic city of Metropia. He and his partner Eye-Ra Kadok (Tom Waits) are struggling to make ends meet as their belongings are slowly repossessed. Their luck could slowly change when they are told to investigate mega star Venus Nova (Scarlett Johansson). This one job slowly spirals out of control when murder starts to occur, and there is more to what is going on than meets the eye.
My biggest reservation heading in was the animation. Many of the stills seemed like typical 3D animated films. While super detailed lacking that unique visual characteristic I would expect from a Bird film unshackled from Pixar and in a world post spider-verse were art style reigns supreme. However, in motion, the film is nothing short of dazzling. There is life in every frame, oozing with character. The retro-futuristic setting is awe-inspiring. From elevators that are glorified rockets that fire people up hundreds of floors, to blasters that feel ripped out of Flash Gordon.
Bird utilises the frame in such dynamic and incredible ways. The foreground and background are utilised to perfection, allowing for every inch of the frame to convey the film’s narrative. The scene where Eye-ra follows a suspect as he scales a building while seeing the target move in the background is striking. This doesn’t even begin to convey how incredible the action is. One involving the rocket elevators, as Gunn and 2 aliens fight in the elevator as it accelerates up and down floors, is nothing short of wonderful.
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It all combines to perfectly suck us into this world, utilising its animation, but also shows that while humans and aliens mix, there is a clearly xenophobic undertone to it all. The film discusses a lot of problems that are prominent in our current society. Xenophobia is one, but also AI, artistic freedom and corporate greed. Bird takes a stance on these issues and explores a lot of the complexity around said topics. A notable example is when Eye-ra states that people can top being xenophobic for the right price. It’s rewarding to see these themes explored, given that it feels like we are entering a period of art where profit is more important than artistry.
Rockwell is wonderful as the titular Ray Gunn, a private eye who will not let money corrupt his morals, even if it means not earning anything back in return. Johansson as Venus Nova is the true standout, given a layered performance that is nothing short of intoxicating to see on screen. The soundtrack is equally intoxicating; Michael Giacchino delivers a defining score of the year. Blending Funk, jazz, and other noir-associated genres with a futuristic aesthetic that is utterly hypnotic from the opening moments.
Ray Gunn is a true master class in animation. Co-written and directed by one of the greatest and most important voices in animation. The dream project is more than just glorified hype. It’s a bona fide masterpiece, a film that will keep audiences hooked from beginning to end.
★★★★★
Having its World Premiere at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival on 10th and 17th October / Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale / Dir: Brad Bird / Netflix
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