Ray Gunn - Review (London Film Festival 2026)
Did You Go Ahead and Do the Right Thing Again?
Seen at the BFI London Film Festival 2026
Review written by Jack Aling
Ray Gunn is directed by Brad Bird and co-written with Matthew Robbins.
Starring Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits & Matt Berry.
In Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, private eye Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova.
"Welcome to the Future." Ray Gunn repeats throughout as it presents a film 30 years in the making. The journey to bring this to our screens has been a long and tumultuous one, but ultimately I think this did the film a favour.
As the first draft dates back to 1996, it means that the noir retro-futuristic tone becomes multifaceted, creating a film that is missing many modern movie tropes. It feels like a film discovered in a vault, covered in dust and finally released to audiences.
A complex mystery guides us through this world of aliens, jetpacks and flying cars. I love that Brad Bird didn't sacrifice the mature tone, holding his ground to tell the story his way, even if I'm sure it made it hard to find its home.
The rich environment and world-building ultimately become more interesting than the characters that inhabit it. The voice cast is strong, but there isn't a standout role with more attention paid to the visionary environment and style - though I may have been a bit too distracted by the futuristic magnetic neck ties…
A recognisable animation style and the blaring orchestral horns of Michael Giacchino's score are constant reminders that rather than reach for something new, Ray Gunn treads familiar, and somewhat safe, ground despite its bold ambitions.
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