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One of my most anticipated 2026 movie releases has been Ray Gunn. And, no, it’s not a film about the viral breakdancer, but an animated film from one of Pixar’s most legendary filmmakers, Brad Bird. This new flick is a neo-noir science fiction mystery (such a mouthful) that the writer/director behind The Incredibles and Ratatouille has been trying to make for decades. I had the chance to see it early with a bunch of fellow press members, and I have a theory about the mixed reception its received via its reviews thus far.
As for my thoughts, Bird’s latest film is an easy four stars out of five. It’s one of the most visually dazzling and original movies I’ve seen all year (just check out the Ray Gunn trailer), and definitely a highlight in the animation space. I particularly thought it was a treat to see Bird take his expertise with the medium and apply it to an action-packed ride in a world that isn’t child-proofed, so to speak. Not all of the reviews match my level of praise, though, as The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han says about it:
It’s a blandly palatable jumble of sci-fi and neo-noir clichés, not so much awful as underwhelming. Lacking in both visual pop and emotional specificity, it’s a forgettable entry in an otherwise rich career that’s run the gamut from Ratatouille to The Incredibles to Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol.
So, here’s my point off the bat. Brad Bird has arguably made some real masterpieces in the world of animation. While I agree Ray Gunn doesn’t best his previous work, why does it have to? My theory is the filmmaker has set a crazy bar for himself, and critics are holding him to it.
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The story behind Ray Gunn is that Bird initially wrote the script in the 1990s before it was shelved for decades. It wasn’t until the filmmaker inked a deal with Skydance Animation and Netflix that it was finally made. And, honestly, I’m surprised by how timely the movie feels despite how long ago it was written. Someone else who seems to have enjoyed the film is IndieWire’s Kate Erbland:
The result is a highly creative mish-mash of seemingly disparate genres and tones that mostly work well together — set in a retro-futurist city that looks like if ‘Blade Runner’ was considerably less scuzzy, it’s a hard-boiled detective noir tale that also imagines a universe in which humans and aliens co-exist somewhat peacefully — despite ultimately feeling let down by muddled messaging.
Bird’s film focuses on the titular character — the final human detective — and his exploits in a futuristic environment. As part of that, he’s enlisted a strong cast, consisting of Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Michelle Rodriguez, Bobby Cannavale and more. Still, the film doesn’t seem to be resonating with everyone, as The A.V. Club’s Siddhant Adlakha has some brutally honest thoughts:
…the movie’s immaculately designed metropolis is populated by an alien supporting cast whose main function is to hold up a half-baked segregation parable. This starts out vestigial to the story, but becomes increasingly awkward the more it enters the spotlight, resulting in clunky drama overtaking the eye-popping details.
Critics are always harder on movies, because well… it’s in the job title. While this new movie’s social commentary clearly didn’t hit with everyone, I personally don’t think it’s bad enough to knock it. Of course, I always find it super interesting to read reviews, and it allows you and me to think more in depth with what we’re watching. Ray Gunn, to me, feels like one of those hyper-stylized action movies that might fire on all cylinders sometimes, but in my case, that’s kind of why I appreciate it.
On the positive end of things, Next Best Picture’s Giovanni Lago, is clearly a fan of the upcoming Netflix 2026 movie release, which arrives this holiday season. As they wrote:
Its strong animation, likable characters, and nods to classic genre tropes will hopefully be the building blocks that get the next generation of cinephiles creeping down Noir Alley on TCM. For that alone, Ray Gunn is an achievement.
While I totally get the nitpicks, I think Ray Gunn is going to be a lot more beloved by audiences than the reviews point to once it finally comes out. Here’s one take from Awards Radar’s Joy Magidson, who also liked the movie:
…while these long in development passion projects can often turn into boondoggles for auteurs, Brad Bird has managed to avoid that fate. This film is fun, rich, and surprisingly effective.
When considering all of these early reviews, I still can’t help but think about my initial point, which is that Brad Bird has set a high bar for himself. So it’s definitely fair that expectations for the film have been so high. Nevertheless, I do my best to view the movie on its own merits and see it for what it is.
Anyways, you’ll get to form your own opinion soon enough. Ray Gunn will be streamable with a Netflix subscription on December 18, and before that, it’ll open in select theaters on December 4.
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