Ray Gunn (BFI London Film Festival 2026)

The novelty of seeing a new original animated film by the legend that is Brad Bird never really wore off during all two hours of watching Ray Gunn. Bird reminds me of Henry Selick in that for all that they’re a veteran in the animation medium, they have a beloved but nonetheless small filmography. His films are hardly unknown: The Iron Giant was a box-office bomb that soon gained attention and acclaim, and The Incredibles and Ratatouille are Pixar classics. But the 2010s were a strange decade for him. He transitioned into live-action remarkably well with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, but 2015’s Tomorrowland was something of a damp squib, and the long-awaited Incredibles sequel got a lot of buzz upon release but hasn’t had the staying power of its predecessor.

Ray Gunn in his first original film in the world of animation since Ratatouille, and his first film in general in nearly a decade. It’s perhaps a gap that can create unrealistic expectations, especially when Brad Bird’s talent and originality is exalted even more nowadays in the age of both franchises, and the rise of film influencers who hold creators like Bird to a high regard. Luckily for them, he’s not going to disappoint. I wouldn’t say Ray Gunn is Bird’s best film, as The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille set a damn high bar, but it feels like the film Bird needed to make and it harkens back to his best work. This may have come out in 2026 but it could easily have come out in Pixar’s heyday of the mid-to-late 2000s. There’s a certain feel and pace to the story here that feels of that time in the best way.

Ray Gunn’s world continues Brad Bird’s love of retrofuturism. Much like the Incredibles, this is the version of the future that was seen in the 1940s and 1950s – there’s flying cars, skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, green aliens and mid-20th century bars and clubs. However, the film’s depiction of a seemingly out-of-control pop star, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, seems inspired by the relentless media scrutiny of certain singers in the modern age, in particular Britney Spears. Bird has had the idea for Ray Gunn for decades, so I imagine he’s been taking inspiration from everything around him to craft this world and story, and it’s impressive that Ray Gunn does not feel cobbled together but fully formed. There’s some really memorable side characters in this, from the owner of a weapons shop to a charismatic mob boss, the world is teeming with life.

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This extends to the plot, which focuses on our titular detective embroiled into a mystery after he’s assigned to spy on Scarlett Johansson’s pop star character, Venus Nova. Ray Gunn styles itself a sci-fi neo-noir mystery, and the plot is more complicated than I was expecting, with a lot of characters and twists to keep up with. Still, I was enjoy myself and full engaged, the fast pace certainly helped with this. I can see this being a really good family watch, as there’s plenty of zany humour for the kids but likewise there’s a plot that will genuinely interest them and keep them on their toes. Brad Bird’s always great like this.

We’ve seen Sam Rockwell play a detective before in the underrated romp See How They Run, but it’s cool to see him lead an animated adventure like this, and Ray Gunn proves to be a really fun lead. However he is somewhat overshadowed by his assistant, voiced by Tom Waits of all people, in a role that feels different for him whilst also suiting him down to the ground. Scarlett Johansson’s Venus Nova is the other big player here. They not only feel like an amalgam of different pop stars and the controversy surrounding their private lives, but are a really fun and empathetic character in their own right. The central dynamic between her and Rockwell’s Ray Gunn is a highlight and responsible for some of the best moments. 

The animation and art direction are terrific. Brad Bird made this in collaboration with Skydance Animation, the studio John Lasseter joined after he left/was let go from Pixar, and there is certainly an old-school Pixar quality to the animation style. It’s cartoony without looking juvenile, and it’s polished without looking flat. There’s great direction to the action sequences, as one would expect from Brad Bird, but it’s the energy and fluidity that really stood out. Even the downer moments or exposition scenes have something going on visually, so it’s fun to watch.

Ray Gunn is flawed, though. For all the fact that I found it really fun to see a family animation with this much thrown at it, that’s a double-edged sword as there’s maybe just that bit too much going on. There’s quite a lot of plot that’s explained to us throughout, and a lot of secret identities that do get a bit confusing the more the film tries to explain. Perhaps it could’ve been a result of the slightly echoey sound in the Festival Hall, but there were sometimes where it would take me a couple of minutes to realise what had just happened, something which the film, to its credit, does a good job of telling visually.

I’m also not sure this needed to be two hours long. Longer runtimes are a quirk of a lot of Bird’s filmography, with The Incredibles films and Ratatouille all running a bit longer than Pixar’s other output, and at 119 minutes Ray Gunn can get a little bit exhausting near the end. Although I must say that the actual ending felt a bit quick, it’s like there should be another scene to round the film off but there isn’t one. I know it’s rich to complain about a film being too long and also moan that it’s missing an end coda, but it’s my opinion, so shut it.

Still, despite some mild grumblings, you can’t complain too much about computer-animated family fare being done this well. Ray Gunn isn’t too dissimilar from animated entertainment nowadays, but anything coming from the mind of Brad Bird is bound to be made with so much love and care. It’s a funny, action-packed engaging romp with an interesting if overstuffed plot and two great leads. Hopefully it catches on when it releases on Netflix in December, because one more great family movie never hurt anybody. 

Also, I smiled at the name of the weapon that Ray Gunn uses. You’ll see why.

ALEX’S ARCHIVE – RAY GUNN