Early word is strong: critics praise Brad Bird’s animated sci‑fi noir Ray Gunn
Brad Bird’s Netflix animated noir Ray Gunn has premiered, and early reactions are largely positive — with one aspect in particular drawing most of the praise.
Saturday night saw the world premiere of Ray Gunn, Netflix’s big animated gamble, at the London Film Festival—and they really went all out for it at the Royal Festival Hall. Director Brad Bird was front and centre, backed up by composer Michael Giacchino, plus Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell. To start things off on a surreal note, Johansson and Rockwell sang a hyperactive version of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Giacchino. Yes, you read that right. The sort of thing you’d expect at a wedding after a few pints, not a gala premiere, but there you are.
Ray Gunn lands on Netflix December 18, with cinema screenings lined up just before that.
Burst of Buzz
Luckily, all the showbiz aside, the proper talk is happening online. The film—a neo-noir animated sci-fi that’s been Bird’s pet project for three decades—has started picking up early reactions, and for once, most critics seem absolutely chuffed. Bit of context if you missed it: I managed to get a sneak peek at the first half-hour over summer out in Netflix Burbank, and even that was enough to make me grumble with jealousy over the London crowd seeing the full thing already. Still, nothing’s stopping people from piling on their hot takes—and so far, the overall vibe is: mission accomplished for Bird.
- Courtney Howard (LA Film Critics) reckons it’s got lashings of ‘Blade Runner meets The Maltese Falcon’, full of slick noir mystery, dazzling visuals, and a jazzed-up soundtrack. She singles out Tom Waits for particular praise in a cast already including Johansson and Rockwell.
- Matt Neglia (Next Best Picture) points out the animation style feels a touch old-fashioned, but says it’s ‘fully realised’ with characters and set pieces you actually care about. Neglia also gives a nod to Kimbra’s songs performed by Johansson, and notes this could help smuggle younger teens into noir territory—though maybe not the little ones.
- Junior Felix (That Hollywood Show) goes as far as to call this a proper family blockbuster you just don’t get any more, especially praising Bird’s clear affection for the whole genre mashup.
- James Crooks (DiscussingFilm) flags up a bit of political edge, plus the film’s take on AI and anti-corporate vibes, all set to Giacchino’s signature score and plenty of eye-popping colour.
These are just the highlights. Reviewers from Rolling Tape, Mama’s Geeky and NerdsOfColor also joined the chorus, shouting out the ‘cinematic animation’, the twists, and how Johansson actually sings on the soundtrack—handy if you’re ticking off talents. One comment called it ‘the coolest and most stylish animated movie of the year’, which, considering how 2026’s been for animation, is actually pretty high praise.
Not Everyone Sold
Of course, there’s always someone ready to rain on the parade. Angie Han at The Hollywood Reporter didn’t buy what Bird was selling, labelling Ray Gunn ‘not special’, just another blend of sci-fi clichés and limp noir leftovers. Han goes as far as to put it at the bottom of Bird’s long hit list, calling it a ‘forgettable entry’ after the likes of Ratatouille and The Incredibles.
Meanwhile, Guy Lodge at Variety admits the film’s got energy and plenty of style, but reckons that’s not quite enough to bring real charm to the table.
All told, if you’ve any interest in watching Bird let loose in a neon-streaked detective world—presumably with Johansson crooning over Giacchino’s jazzy score—Netflix gives you your chance on 18 December, and a few UK cinemas will get it even earlier.