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animation veteran brad bird A clever and stylish piece of sci-fi noir that reminds us why he is one of the modern greats. ray gun (2026). Not that many people have lost faith in him, but his last original animated film. Ratatouille (2007) came out almost 20 years ago. Fan reaction to his latest film; Incredibles 2 (2018), which has also turned a bit sour over the years. So, a bold and original story. ray gun It couldn’t have finally come to fruition at a better time for Bird, especially as the animation industry continues to take risks with more “adult” projects in the mainstream. In fact, that’s why this story stayed in Bird’s back pocket for over 30 years.
This work was conceived long before Byrd made his directorial debut. iron giant (1999), ray gun It was almost produced by Warner Bros. Animation in the 1990s. Bird and Matthew RobbinsBest known for co-writing Crimson Peak (2015) and Pinocchio (2022) Back to 1996 with Guillermo del Toro. When Warner Bros. was not successful, Bird regained the rights to the film, but absoluteness Submitted to Pixar. His rich history includes working for legendary companies. walt disney animation And his success Incredibles (2004), who wisely recognized that: ray gun‘s intended audience did not overlap with Pixar’s younger demographic. In fact, most major animation studios ray gun In its final completed form.
A unique vision of retrofuturism
now, netflix, Skydance Animationand KinesiteWriter-director Brad Bird has finally brought us his unfiltered vision. ray gun In life. His approach is so immature that it alienates younger audiences. Instead, Bird took inspiration from classic noirs such as: maltese falcon (1941), big sleep (1946), from the past (1947), and of course, Chinatown (1974) collide in sophisticated ways that teens and adults can better understand. But younger children will still be fascinated by the world of flying cars, jetpacks, laser blasters, and more, all brilliantly brought to life in the film. Yes, you can call ray gunIt’s a “niche” mix of science fiction and noir, but that’s also what makes it so. singular It’s unlike anything else in Western animation today.
In the bustling mega-retro-futuristic city of Metropia, you play private investigator Raymond Gunn.sam rockwell) and his alien partner Ira Kadoc (tom waits), gets caught up in a dangerous conspiracy involving pop star Venus Nova.Scarlett Johansson). Bird creates an alternate future seen from 1939, where aliens of all colors and sizes have migrated to Earth and become fully integrated into society. This kind of retro-futurism isn’t as dystopian as Ridley Scott’s. blade runner (1982) or Terry Gilliam’s brazil (1985), Bird contrasts Metropia’s vivid skyline and booming energy with ominous tones. This is not a perfect utopia, as widespread alien xenophobia defines various social classes, and “aliens” now have to be illegally smuggled to Earth.
Spooky themes laced with creative mystery
ray gun We are not pushy about how we deal with xenophobia and alien segregation. These are just some of the elements that make up a brilliant but corrupt vision of the future. By engaging so openly with these ideas (which other major distributors would no doubt have toned down), the film’s main mystery can delve into darker, morally gray areas. In this way, ray gun It feels like a true noir, not just a homage to an animated film. Bird’s character becomes more complex and more confusing as the narrative tackles additional themes of surveillance, the commodification of media and art, and a bit of murder!
For a story that unfolded 30 years ago, it’s surprising that many of Bird’s original ideas have stood the test of time, making them uncomfortably timely today. at last, ray gun In an age where advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence increasingly invade our daily lives, it makes us reflect on how much autonomy we have left. It’s pretty amazing how Bird leads the viewer down this rabbit hole, laying a breadcrumb trail across the film’s central mysteries and complex ideas. clever. However, some may take issue with some of the key distortions on the grounds that they are too obvious. Bird leans into well-known noir tropes here. These reveals don’t necessarily dampen the thrill, but they can be seen from a mile away.
Subverting the tropes of film noir
Speaking of analogies, it’s Brad Bird and Sam Rockwell (wild horse nine, Good luck, have fun, and don’t die.) Subvert the typical noir private detective and create a very compelling protagonist. Raymond is the last of a dying breed. He is a good, honest man in a crooked profession. His clean moral compass and integrity pushed him and his loyal partner Eye-Ra to the brink of bankruptcy, creating a hilarious and endearing dynamic between them. A cyclops alien with tripod legs that acts as a living camera, Eye-Ra always remains realistic as the voice of reason, even when a little trickery is often necessary.
Singer-songwriter Tom Waits’ noticeably raspy voice (father mother sister brother, seven psychopaths) matches Rockwell’s bravado perfectly. Throw Scarlett Johansson (Jurassic World Rebirth, black widow) Mix, who is having great fun playing the role of Venus Nova’s spicy femme fatale, ray gun It stands tall next to Bird’s previous beloved animated hits. In particular, Johansson showed off her singing skills by performing three original songs written by the Grammy Award-winning artist. Kimbra. While “Too Much to Ask” is a notable standout, the other two serve more as fun narrative tools. Nova’s music is not filler or background noise. It’s an expansion of her character that further builds the drama and stakes of the film.
Brad Bird’s latest will only get better with time
Finally, as a two-hour animated detective noir, ray army Maintain a fast pace. The action is propulsive, and each set piece becomes more creative and colorful as more and more of the plot is introduced. bizarre Sci-fi elements. Michael Giacchinowhich currently holds a 6/7 rating for Bird films, has outdone itself with its most thrilling score since 2022. baton. It reflects the flavor of past collaborations with Bird, but is not derivative, and captures the vibe of vintage retrofuturism and film noir to carve out its own unique identity. It’s the kind of immersive, emotionally driven music that can make the romantic dance between Raymond and Venus in zero gravity one of the most memorable scenes in the entire film.
In an alternate timeline, Brad Bird’s ray gun As you can see from the teaser poster, it was released a long time ago with hand-drawn 2D animation. While the 2D version ray gun It would definitely be amazing. The CG version we have is not a downgrade. Stylish costumes, inspiring action sets, captivating characters, and even the steamy romance at its center make this sci-fi noir destined to age like fine wine. Bird’s story has already aged in some pretty crazy ways since its initial conception, ultimately taking a stand against AI in the arts. Anyway, this repetition is ray gun It feels more special than anything that came out probably decades ago. Let’s hope Bird’s next passion project doesn’t have to wait long.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
‘Ray Gun’ will be released on Netflix on December 18th!
Release date: December 18, 2026.
supervision Brad Bird.
Screenplay: Brad Bird & Matthew Robbins.
Story by: Brad Bird.
Producer: Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Lisa Berud, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg.
Executive Producer: Hannah Minghella.
Main Cast: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Alan Tudyk, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Chernus, Catherine Hunter, Brad Bird, Patton Oswalt, John Ratzenberger, Jamie Costa, Keder Donoghue, Asif Mandvi, Matt Jones, Justin Peck.
Director of Photography: Eric Smith.
composer: Michael Giacchino.
editor: Darren T. Holmes & Carl Armstrong.
Production company: Skydance animation.
distributor: Netflix.
run-time: 119 minutes.
Rated PG.