Ray Gunn Review

Ray Gunn premiered at the London Film Festival on October 10 and is now available on Netflix, having opened in select theaters on December 4. The film is a sci-fi/film noir mashup created by director Brad Bird, known for his work on The Incredibles and Ratatouille. Ray Gunn follows the story of private eye Ray Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, and his one-eyed alien partner Eye-Ra, played by Tom Waits.

The duo investigate a case involving pop star Venus Nova, played by Scarlett Johansson, leading them to murder, corruption, and other nefarious activities.

The film is designed for a slightly older demographic than Bird's past Pixar films, but it still offers cartoon hijinks suitable for the whole family. Ray's particle blaster pistol produces some humorous moments, and the alien designs, while familiar, are appropriate for the world of the characters. The film's portrayal of segregation and xenophobia among aliens serves as a metaphor for human issues, with aliens performing manual labor and being banned from certain human facilities.

However, the film's pacing suffers slightly due to its runtime, and some of the story beats feel predictable. Additionally, the film touches on various themes related to the entertainment industry, technology, and human nature, but does not delve deeply into any of them. Visually, Ray Gunn boasts a stunning retro-futuristic aesthetic, with architecture, costumes, gizmos, vehicles, and a moody score reminiscent of 1940s films.

The voice cast delivers strong performances, with Sam Rockwell leading as the hardboiled gumshoe, Tom Waits providing a world-weary and witty portrayal of Eye-Ra, and Scarlett Johansson showcasing her singing abilities as Venus Nova.