Goat: A Supremely Satisfactory Sports Story

Entering the Stadium

Gather your team and practice your shots, because one of the most beloved studios in modern animation is back with an all-new outing! Goat is the latest animated film from Sony, who have climbed the ranks to become one of the medium’s most respected creative outlets. The studio is known for implementing creative stories with vibrant animation styles, thus resulting in some of the most acclaimed animated movies of the last decade – including the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse series and K-Pop Demon Hunters. 

Now, the company has returned to the big screen with a new original story, this time being set in the sports genre. But could this film maintain the steady stream of quality Sony has had up to this point? Given the positive reviews from critics and early box office projections of a $30 million opening weekend, the movie built a strong name for itself ahead of its nationwide release, indicating a promising start for the feature. 

Going into Goat, I was quite optimistic, especially given my love of previous Sony Animation products – particularly the Spider-Verse series. I love how the studio takes creative ideas and brings them to life in a colorful fashion, especially with a variety of animation styles under its belt. Not to mention, I am also a fan of sports movies, primarily those with inspirational stories and uplifting messages. As such, I was very eager to see how Sony would provide its own flair to a classic sports movie story, as I felt it could make this movie an early standout of 2026’s filmography.

Without hesitation, I headed to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield on Friday, Feb. 13, and secured a ticket to a screening of the film. As the credits rolled, I was left with one question: did this movie live up to the promise it built, or was it as enjoyable as missing a game point at the last second?

Shooting the Shots

Set in Vineland, a city of anthropomorphic animals, Goat centers on Will Harris, the titular goat, who dreams of being a star player of roarball – a basketball-like sport played by the toughest animals in the world. However, he often faces constant mockery due to his small size. One day, he receives a massive opportunity to join a respected roarball team, the Vineland Thorns, much to their chagrin. With other animals – including on his own team – constantly doubting him and his skills, Harris must step up to the court and play a rigorous game to secure his spot among the greatest roarball players of all time.

Directed by Tyree Dillihay in his directorial debut, the film features the vocal talents of a massive ensemble including Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, David Harbour, Stephen Curry, Nick Kroll, Patton Oswalt, Aaron Pierre, and Jennifer Hudson among many others.

As a whole, I’d say this is a highly satisfying film, and a worthy addition to Sony’s catalog. However, that is not to say that it is entirely without fault. This primarily stems from the story, which is about as basic as you can get for a sports movie. It’s a very simple underdog story, a popular template utilized by other classics in the genre – such as Rocky and Rudy – which centers on a doubted individual with big dreams who steps up to prove themself to their detractors. The movie follows this formula to a tee, playing it very safe with its onscreen events and heavily relying on recycled cliches, ultimately making for a highly predictable story. 

The writing also sports a few pacing issues, which are primarily prominent throughout the third act. Most of the film moves at a relatively steady pace, allowing time for character development and heartfelt moments while still providing a lot of energy through its action scenes and hyperactive dialogue. However, once the climactic act comes into play, the pacing suddenly decides to hit the fast forward button, with key sequences feeling rushed when there was plenty of potential for more development. 

I won’t spoil too much about what happens, but I will say that certain aspects – including a key dramatic beat and the buildup to the final game – introduce strong stakes, but the film doesn’t do much to add upon them, either concluding the plot point on an abrupt note or resolving an issue that had barely even begun. The combination of the clichéd story with the overly-quick pacing ultimately made the third act feel rushed, as it easily could have benefitted from an extra 10-15 minutes to properly develop these side conflicts.

But despite the story’s overall simplicity, I cannot be too mad at the feature due to one primary factor: its heart is in the right place. At its core, this movie promotes a heartfelt message of dreaming big and never giving up, regardless of what those around you may say. Not only is this takeaway a very important one, but the film tackles it really well through its characters and their interactions. There are a number of emotional moments throughout the feature, particularly in the second half, while it still implements a consistently uplifting feel through its high energy. It ultimately makes for a very enjoyable experience, as it prioritized delivering its message while still providing a balanced outlet with a lot of action and humor.

That said, one of the other nitpicks I had with the film was the jokes themselves. Although there were quite a few chuckle-worthy moments, most of the humor fell flat for me, as there were a lot of lowbrow jabs and immature punchlines. Granted, many of these jokes are targeted at a much younger audience – who will likely get more of a kick out of them than I did – but it still made parts of the film feel a bit cringeworthy, especially when compared to the more emotional moments they surround. It’s definitely not the worst humor I’ve seen in an animated movie, but it still serves as one of the weaker points of the film overall due to its reliance on cheap and juvenile gags with very standard punchlines. 

Furry Friends & Foes

Bringing this story to life is a massive ensemble of characters, all of whom are enjoyable in their own way and ensure the film does not lose its engagement factor. Even with the simplicity of its core plot, it still manages to build an identity for itself through its incredibly charming roster of protagonists, who add a great sense of energy to the feature. Not to mention, many of them even have strong arcs which see consistent development throughout the feature, giving them a sense of relatability and vulnerability. 

The most prominent arc of the ensemble came from Harris, the titular goat who strives to be one of the greatest roarball players in the world. Right from the get-go, the movie establishes his goals and connection to the overall sport, before exploring his trials and tribulations in building a name for himself despite the doubts of those around him. When he becomes a part of the Vineland Thorns, his skills are put to the ultimate test as he is ridiculed and disregarded by his teammates, forcing himself to prove his worth to the sport despite his small stature. 

Harris sees the most development of the entire feature, as he desperately tries to prove himself and build his own legacy, resulting in many heartfelt interactions and emotional dialogue which expertly ties back to the film’s core message. 

But Harris isn’t the only character who sees a great deal of development, as the other standout arc came from the secondary protagonist: Jett Fillmore, a veteran roarball player and the captain of the Thorns. The film introduces her as an idol for Harris, before delving more into her personal struggles. Namely, how her team has been struggling to win a season and many fans of the sport claim that she has lost her spark, with some even calling her washed-up. 

The film adds a layer of emotional depth through Fillmore’s character, to the point where she is one of the most resentful individuals towards Harris’s induction to the team. It introduces a fascinating secondary conflict as Fillmore struggles to acknowledge status in the game, and often lets her ego get the better of her. It also leads to some great dialogue between her and Harris, especially as they begin to open up about each other’s motivations.

Every character is further elevated by a talented voice cast, all of whom do terrifically in their roles. Namely, I loved the performances of McLaughlin as Harris and Union and Fillmore, as they provide the strongest emotional bits of the movie while still sporting prominent traits of determination and pride. It adds another strong layer to their characters, especially when the plot gets more dramatic in the second half. Meanwhile, the supporting cast provides a great accompanying energy through their strong line deliveries – including Curry as the nonchalant Lenny Williamson, Pierre as the antagonistic Mane Attraction, and Kroll as the consistently comedic Modo Olachenko. 

These factors make for an ensemble full of life and energy, as each performer provides a dedicated and engaged take on their respective characters, adding to the film’s overall engagement factor.

The Final Countdown

Without question, the aspect of the film which stood out to me the most was the animation, which was absolutely gorgeous in every meaning of the word. This movie utilizes a very stylistic form of animation, similar to Sony’s own Spider-Verse and K-Pop Demon Hunters, which combines vibrant colors and a variety of frame rates – which determine how fast or slow the characters and their environment move – to bring its story to life. It results in one of the most visually stunning movies I’ve seen in a while, and making it worth catching on the big screen just for the animation alone. 

The best way I can describe this film’s style is as though a comic book or a painting were brought to life, as it combines exaggerated character designs and movements with bright backdrops of numerous tundras. Whether it be something as simple as a sports team’s locker room or as exuberant as the city of Vineland – which heavily implements a color scheme of bright green and yellow, the film pulls off its environments stunningly, giving each one a distinct outline and its own share of stakes. This can also be highlighted in the numerous roarball stadiums, which utilize a variety of landscapes and natural obstacles, including fire and ice, to add stakes to the action sequences. 

Speaking of which, those scenes in question rank among the biggest standouts, as they allow for the most intense and creative backdrops of the entire film. The best way I can describe this movie is if Zootopia fused with Space Jam, in how it heavily relies on sports sequences while making use of varied animal species and tundras. All the while, players on both teams have to run, jump, and shoot baskets at any chance they can, even in scenarios when the stadium acts as an enemy. 

This can primarily be highlighted in the final game, which makes use of a dangerous volcanic environment, similar to a volcano, which is prone to eruption as lava spews out of the floor, the stadium ground rises unexpectedly, and players are forced to take risky shots from inconvenient places. As such, though the overall outcomes are predictable, the film still remains intense through the unforeseeable nature of the stadium’s behavior. 

Backing all of these sequences is a great variety of music, which is used in multiple contexts throughout the runtime. For instance, the score by Kris Bowers is used to provoke emotion, whether it be a dramatic track used in a heartfelt moment or an intense crescendo during a high-stakes roarball game. 

Simultaneously, the movie has a strong soundtrack, with every song feeling upbeat and catchy in their own unique way. Some of my personal favorites included “Goat Tears,” a diss track towards Harris made by the film’s main antagonist, and “I’m Good,” an uplifting tune which plays during the end credits. The soundtrack contributes strongly to the movie by helping give it more of an identity, providing it with a unique flair which helps it stand out from other recent film soundtracks. 

A Roaring Victory

Overall, despite its predictable story, juvenile humor, and rushed third act, Goat is a very fun flick through its stylish animation, charming characters, impressive music, heartfelt message, and committed voice performances. Though it may not reinvent the wheel for the sports genre or animation, it most certainly stands out as a movie which works really well with what it has. 

If you’re a fan of sports movies, underdog stories, or Sony’s previous films, I’d recommend giving this one a watch. Goat is currently shooting hoops at theaters nationwide, including the nearby Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield. If you want to see a sports comedy that isn’t afraid to unleash its wild side, this is the perfect film for you!

It may not play a perfect game, but this film manages to shoot enough shots to provide an entertaining time, resulting in yet another slam dunk for Sony. 

My Rating