---
title: "Ray Gunn: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/ray-gunn/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/ray-gunn"
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 10
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ray Gunn (2026): what the critics said

Critics' score 65 from 10 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 2 negative.

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Rating B. 10 October 2026. 

Bradshaw calls the film a charming, very enjoyable family classic. He especially praises its beautifully designed cityscapes and the zero-gravity dance scene.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/oct/10/ray-gunn-review-brad-birds-animated-film-noir-sci-fi-caper-is-an-old-school-family-classic)

## IndieWire — Kate Erbland

Rating B-. 10 October 2026. 

Erbland finds the film immersive and inventive, but says its sprawling story and muddled message weaken the result. She especially praises Metropia’s vibrant, tangible design while faulting the underdeveloped tangents and overstuffed plot.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/ray-gunn-review-brad-bird-retro-detective-sam-rockwell-1235220330/)

## Variety — Guy Lodge

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. Festival review. 

Lodge finds the film technically impressive and energetically entertaining, but less charming and emotionally engaging than it should be. He singles out its richly detailed retro-futurist world-building as its principal strength.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/ray-gunn-review-1236907330/)

## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. Festival review. 

Ide finds the animation stylish but ultimately convoluted and unwieldy, with a laboured, inert screenplay that undermines its potential. She praises the painstaking visual world-building and strikingly coherent design, while criticizing the film’s unclear politics and inconsistent characterization.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/ray-gunn-review-sam-rockwell-and-scarlett-johansson-head-starry-voice-cast-for-brad-birds-stylish-but-unwieldy-animation/5221280.article)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. Festival review. 

Han finds the film bland and forgettable, criticizing its thin characters and underdeveloped themes. She singles out Tom Waits’ weary, witty performance as Eye-Ra as the ensemble’s standout.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ray-gunn-review-netflix-sam-rockwell-scarlett-johansson-1236721083/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 96/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. 

The critic calls the film a dazzling, imaginative triumph and says it was worth the long wait. They single out its intricate staging, striking camerawork and lighting, and richly choreographed action for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/ray-gunn-review-brad-bird-netflix/)

## Polygon — Matt Patches

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. 

The critic calls Ray Gunn a stunning, sophisticated animated adventure that delivers on Brad Bird’s long-held vision. They especially praise its richly detailed retrofuturist world and kinetic visual action.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/ray-gunn-review-netflix-brad-bird/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2026. Festival review. 

Hammond finds the film an entertaining, clever mashup of science fiction and film noir. He praises its vivid animated world and says Sam Rockwell is perfectly cast as the old-school detective.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/10/ray-gunn-review-brad-bird-sam-rockwell-scarlett-johansson-1237152314/)

## /Film — Jeremy Mathai

Rating 8/10. 10 October 2026. 

The critic calls the film a heartfelt, visually dazzling success and says the long wait was worth it. They praise its vivid world-building and its seamless blend of crime noir and science fiction.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2269086/ray-gunn-review/)

## The Playlist — Marshall Shaffer

Rating C. 10 October 2026. Festival review. 

Shaffer finds the film overstuffed and derivative, with its story and satire failing to cohere. He praises the imaginative, thrillingly executed animated action sequences.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/ray-gunn-review-brad-bird-bfi-london-20261010/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/ray-gunn.md