I’m a big fan of Sony Pictures Animation, in particular, their forte of creating visually spectacular movies which effortlessly capture a realistic, urban vibe regardless of the art style. We see this in the Spiderverse movies which nail the transition from comic books to movie screen.
Similarly, KPOP demon hunters, despite leaning towards a cleaner bubblegummy anime style, is visually rich. There’s attention to detail in recreating realistic places and experiences. In particular, the concert sequences are especially stunning thanks to the detailed lighting effects. .
So when I first saw the trailers for GOAT, it had me buzzing with excitement.
The visuals did not disappoint. Stylistically, it leans closer towards the Spiderverse movies. Will Harris, the movie’s protagonist, lives in a literal urban jungle. Consequently, the colour palette of the Vineland are rich earthy tones of greens and brown, complemented by the haze and lights of the city.
However, the visual scenery switches when we’re transported to the roarball stadium. Roarball (or basketball on steroids) is played on courts which feature physical features such as glaciers, stalagmites and hot lava. Combine this with the high energy camera style and the highly stylised shots for pivotal moments in the game, and you have genuinely heart pumping sequences.
But a movie is more than pretty pictures.
GOAT showcases a solid storyline and quirky characters.
The story is straightforward. Will is a young kid (literally) who’s down on his luck but has big dreams of playing professional roarball for the Vineland Thorns. When a chance encounter with the movie’s antagonist, Mane Attraction, goes viral, he catches the eye of Flo Everson, the team’s owner.
He is immediately drafted, much to the disdain of Jett Filmore, a sleek blank panther who is Will’s idol. And so begins Will’s journey to sporting greatness.
GOAT generously injects visual comedy for littlies to immediately pick up on, and slightly more subtle (yet still kid friendly) jokes to engage older audiences.
The latter comprises mainly animal-related references which might take a bit more explaining. For example, when Flo uses a spray bottle on the normally suave Jett, our intimidating panther is hilariously kittenified. As the owner of a particularly mischievous ginger idiot, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Modo the Komodo Dragon also generated so much amusement. The outlandish character design with its loud colours, piercings and purple spikes are reminiscent of Dennis Rodman. Add the completely bizarre space cadet personality and Nick Kroll’s voice and Modo is magnetic.
Beneath the laughs, there’s a strong message about self-belief and perserverance in GOAT.
Will has a tough lot in life. He does not have any immediate family and is trying desperately to keep a roof over his head. His job delivering food for the local diner is not enough, so at one point he sells his beloved limited edition sneakers to make ends meet.
On the court, roarball is a dominated by larger animals because “smalls can’t ball”. This messaging is so prevalent that the town bully bars Will from the public court.
Despite all this, Will remains determined to keep playing. He remains optimistic.
Some parents might think he is too naively positive, but Will’s discipline tempers this beautifully. He doesn’t just dream about playing, he puts intention into action by practising hard. So rather than just telling kids to shoot for the stars, GOAT reminds them to also climb the mountains to get there.
By the end of the movie, the kids in the cinema were all baa-ing in unison. And I can’t think of a better endorsement for this winner from Sony Pictures Animation.
GOAT is now showing in cinemas.