Goat: Sony’s Animated Sports Film Review – Is It a Slam Dunk?

Alright humans, who had an animated feature about an anthropomorphic goat who’s the GOAT that’s somehow a loose homage to Stephen Curry’s NBA career on their 2026 bingo cards? That’s where we’re at with the visual madness and narrative heart that guides “Goat,” a loony sports film with enough for adults and the kiddos.

The film, from Sony Pictures Animation, might not reach the ultimate highs now expected of the studio following the success of the Spider-Verse movies and KPop: Demon Hunters, but it’s another creatively inventive story that pushes animation in bright, bombastic, bold directions.

For an animated film, animals playing basketball doesn’t cut it. This is roarball. There’s a ball, nets and even a three-point line with a few big twists. Each court features some environmental obstacles: falling stalactites, freezing water under a layer of ice and lava rock that changes to a treacherous maze in the fourth quarter. It’s a brutal sport, traditionally featuring larger mammals, birds and reptiles – definitely no room for tiny goat Will Harris (voiced by Caleb McLaughlin from “Stranger Things”).

The character naming convention is a notable departure from other animal-centric films. Forget bunnies named Judy Hops or pigs named Babe. Instead, audiences meet the OG GOAT, Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union), star of the Vineland Thorns, the local roarball team with no titles. Like aging NBA stars of the past, Jett receives praise for her abilities, but lacks a championship trophy.

Her teammates are equally quirky. Ostrich Olivia (Nicola Coughlan of “Bridgerton”) often buries her head in the ground, frustrated with her court performance. Rhino Archie (David Harbour) is much more interested in being a girl dad than balling. Komodo dragon Modo Olachenko (Nick Kroll) is an “icon,” though the reason remains to be experienced firsthand.

Then there’s Lenny Williamson (Stephen Curry, who also produced the film). He’s insecure about his height, but he still has his rap gig on the side. Curry’s involvement extends beyond producing; “Goat” marks the Warriors point guard’s rapping debut. It’s a callback to a bygone era of athlete-musicians, reminiscent of Shaquille O’Neal’s four rap albums in the ‘90s, featuring collaborations with The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, and Jay-Z.

The team must find a way to work together, and Will must prove a little animal belongs next to the big dogs (incidentally, no dogs are in the lead). They better hurry up because current MVP and GOAT challenger Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre) is out for blood against Will and Jett.

“Goat” is a visually and musically ambitious project. It doesn’t always juggle all characters, ideas and subplots with perfect ease, and some plotlines, including team owner and warthog Flo (Jenifer Lewis), conclude as expected. The story is predictable in a comforting way. We know these beats and the outcomes well. Getting there is half the fun, and the journey is enhanced by the animation team.

Sony’s animation style, established with the Spider-Verse outings, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, and KPop Demon Hunters, continues to reject clean, soft edges in favor of exaggeration and visual tools that remind us we are watching something synthetic. Like a long tracking shot that calls attention to itself, the mechanics of filmmaking need not hide, and “Goat” continues that trend with some classic cartoon logic. Call it a more mature Looney Tunes.

While on the weaker side of Sony’s recent stylistic bunch, “Goat” is light-years better than the average Sony animated film of the last two decades. It’s an easy win for the family and anyone else craving a sports film with a grandiose hook.