Goat Review: This Breezy Animated Sports Film Feels Too Familiar

by

Tyree Dillihay’s new animated film, GOAT, from Sony Pictures, is a sweet and inspiring story about pursuing your dreams through basketball. The movie features a talented voice cast and benefits from the involvement of producer Stephen Curry, who adds a touch of authenticity. However, the overall story feels somewhat predictable.

Sony Pictures Animation has been consistently delivering fantastic animated films, including the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and the popular KPop Demon Hunters. When they brought on Dillihay, a director known for his work on Bob’s Burgers, alongside Curry, fans had high expectations for their next project.

This movie focuses on a young goat who dreams of playing basketball, fitting right into the familiar genre of underdog sports stories. It’s similar to films like Rudy, Rookie of the Year, and Billy Elliot, all about pursuing your dreams against the odds, but with a basketball theme.

The 2024 animated film, GOAT, quickly gained attention thanks to Stephen Curry’s involvement as both a producer and actor. Now that it’s released, the movie is a lively, visually appealing sports film that clearly demonstrates a passion for the game.

GOAT Is a Breezy Animated Charmer With a Solid Voice Cast

Will, a young goat in the animal city of Vineland, has big dreams of becoming a roarball star – it’s a basketball-like sport where he wants to be just like his hero, Jett Fillmore. It’s a tough goal, especially since he’s still grieving the loss of his mother and faces challenges with both his size and financial situation. Roarball is usually played by much larger animals like rhinos and bears, and dominated by the fierce horse player, Mane Attraction. When Will unexpectedly gets the chance to play for his favorite team, the Thorns, alongside Jett, he’ll have to overcome obstacles and prove he has what it takes to become the best.

The animated film GOAT features a fantastic voice cast, with Noah McLaughlin perfectly portraying the young goat who dreams of greatness. He brings real emotional depth to the character, who is dealing with the loss of his mother and trying to make it in a tough environment. Union also delivers a compelling performance as a legendary but aging athlete on a struggling team.

Pierre delivers a fantastic and energetic performance as Mane Attraction, a skilled but irritating rival player. The voice acting is excellent overall, featuring Stephen Curry as Lenny the giraffe. However, the standout comedic performance comes from Nick Kroll as Modo, a hilariously bizarre and self-aware Komodo dragon player who steals every scene.

GOAT Is Fun but Fails To Stand Out

Roar creates a really creative world, and the game of roarball, which favors large, athletic animals, is cleverly similar to basketball. The developers clearly put a lot of thought into the details, like the pun of a goat wanting to be the ‘GOAT’ and the constantly changing roarball courts that keep gameplay interesting. While the sport would be incredibly risky, these details make the world feel believable and well-developed.

The movie features some really creative animated sports scenes that stand out from films like Space Jam. These action sequences also allow for exciting basketball (or, in this case, ‘roarball’) moments, and the overall sports choreography and animation are impressively done – it’s a surprisingly difficult feat! While the movie’s world is imaginative, some aspects aren’t fully developed; for instance, the animal society of Vineland raises troubling questions if you consider it closely.

In the world of GOAT, carnivores and herbivores coexist and even play a sport called roarball together. But since carnivores naturally eat meat, it raises questions about how they survive. Do they prey on those around them? Are herbivores constantly living in fear, or are the carnivores always hungry? Food is a central part of this world, so how does their entire society function with this dynamic? And while the roarball courts are exciting, shouldn’t someone address the fact that players likely die frequently while playing?

Despite a few drawbacks, the main problem with GOAT is that it doesn’t really offer anything new. It feels very familiar, like many sports movies before it, especially those that combine sports with animation – think Space Jam and its follow-up. It’s an enjoyable film and will likely find an audience, but GOAT lacks the originality needed to stand out in a crowded genre.

Final Rating: 7/10

GOAT premieres in theaters on February 13, 2026.

Read More

2026-02-09 20:05