Ray Gunn

Brad Bird has long cemented himself as a modern-day king of animation, and Ray Gunn may be his greatest cinematic achievement yet. A dash of noir fits perfectly within the retrofuturist trappings of his directorial style, whilst a darker story than previous films like The Incredibles and Ratatouille helps elevate this quality outing to a level above even those delights. The chef is very much back in the kitchen.

In a future infused with the look and feel of the past, mankind has made contact with aliens, before promptly repressing their rights and social liberties (as is often our want to do). In the fabulously named Metropia, Ray Gunn is the last human private detective, going extinct to advanced drones which can do any questionable legwork for you, at the right price. With an alien partner and repo men knocking down his door, Ray takes on a dangerous case involving celebrity scandal, honeytraps and misdirection, ending up far more personally involved than he’d intended.

Bird revels in every noir trope you can think of, from the gangster’s wife to the after-dark chases, yet the tight script makes nothing feel cliche or unoriginal. He and co-writer Matthew Robbins have simmered the story down perfectly over the nearly three decades it’s taken to get it made, and it results in something often taken for granted in features; perfect pacing. At no point do you feel bored or lost or confused, which is quite an achievement for a genre known for labyrinthine plotting.

The voice cast provide rich depths to a very colourful group of characters, with Sam Rockwell leading as the titular gumshoe trying to stay professional whilst getting his heartstrings tugged on the job. The standout however may be Scarlett Johansson as the volatile and mysterious popstar Venus Nova. She conjures a voice that belongs to someone holding as many secrets as there are back alleys of Metropia, so wonderfully complex and layered, a far cry from some of the simplistic female characters this genre has previously led to.

A fantastic Michael Giacchino score and stunning animation that feels more tangible than any photorealistic melange we’ve seen in recent years complete what may arguably be Bird’s magnum opus. The PI with a disintegration gun will soon join his roster of great protagonists, alongside a rat who dreams of cooking and a superhero struggling with his home life. No need to panic, Bird’s on the case.