Review: Brad Bird's 'Ray Gunn' Is Visually Strong but Short on Heart
Variety's review describes 'Ray Gunn' as a retro-futurist noir from Brad Bird that is technically impressive but lacks charm. The Netflix animated feature borrows from films such as 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,' 'Blade Runner' and 'KPop Demon Hunters.' The story imagines a future with flying cars and jetpacks but still plagued by prejudice, crime and corruption.
Variety critic Guy Lodge reviewed "Ray Gunn" on Oct. 10, 2026. The Netflix release comes from Skydance Animation and marks Brad Bird's fifth animated feature. Its setting mixes futuristic conveniences—flying cars, jetpacks—with persistent social ills, including anti-alien prejudice, apartheid, crime, and corruption. Holographic pop-up ads also intrude on personal space.
The film draws openly on earlier works such as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," "Blade Runner," and "KPop Demon Hunters." Lodge calls it a giddy retro-futurist noir that is technically impressive but weaker on laughs and emotional warmth. Its 1939-inspired metropolis recalls Bird's prior retro-futurist interests in "The Incredibles" and "Tomorrowland."
Count words. First para: Variety(1) critic2 Guy3 Lodge4 reviewed5 "Ray6 Gunn"7 on8 Oct.9 10,10 2026.11 The12 Netflix13 release14 comes15 from16 Skydance17 Animation18 and19 marks20 Brad21 Bird's22 fifth23 animated24 feature.25 Its26 setting27 mixes28 futuristic29 conveniences—flying30 cars,31 jetpacks—with32 persistent33 social34 ills,35 including36 anti-alien37 prejudice,38 apartheid,39 crime,40 and41 corruption.42 Holographic43 pop-up44 ads45 also46 intrude47 on48 personal49 space.50. Second: The51 film52 draws53 openly54 on55 earlier56 works57 such58 as59 "Who60 Framed61 Roger62 Rabbit?,"63 "Blade64 Runner,"65 and66 "KPop67 Demon68 Hunters."69 Lodge70 calls71 it72 a73 giddy74 retro-futurist75 noir76 that77 is78 technically79 impressive80 but81 weaker82 on83 laug
"Ray Gunn" may draw Netflix viewers who follow Brad Bird or adult-oriented animation, and its technical polish could raise expectations for streaming animated features. Its borrowed noir and sci-fi elements may prompt debates among critics and fans about homage versus originality. If audiences respond more to spectacle than story, studios could read that as a signal about retro-futurist projects, though the film's mixed emotional reception may also remind creators that visual craft alone rarely guarantees lasting cultural impact. Count: Ray1 Gunn2 may3 draw4 Netflix5 viewers6 who7 follow8 Brad9 Bird10 or11 adult-oriented12 animation,13 and14 its15 technical16 polish17 could18 raise19 expectations20 for21 streaming22 animated23 features.24 Its25 borrowed26 noir27 and28 sci-fi29 elements30 may31 prompt32 debates33 among34 critics35 and36 fans37 about38 homage39 versus40 originality.41 If42 audiences43 respond44 more45 to46 spectacle47 than48 story,49 studios50 could51 read52 that53 as54