Sony Pictures Animation created the world of “Zootopia,” helped a scientist transform into a robotic beaver in “Hoppers” and let a Blue tang fish embark on a journey to find her parents in “Finding Dory.” Now we get to watch a goat play basketball.
Released on Feb. 13, “GOAT” features a diverse cast of stars including Caleb McLaughlin, David Harbour, Gabrielle Union, Jelly Roll and the Golden State Warriors prodigy point guard himself: Stephen Curry, who served as an executive producer for the film.
Deriving from the popular acronym GOAT, short for ‘greatest of all time,’ “GOAT” follows a young goat named Will who aspires to become one of the greatest basketball players of his time. Directed by Tyree Dillihay, the film serves as a twist on “Space Jam” if it was inserted into the anthropomorphized city of Zootopia.
The movie takes place in Vineland, a city with an abstract sensuality, vibrant greenery, crooked infrastructure and most importantly, rusty backboards and ratty nets that Will adores.
The game played in this impressionist setting is not basketball — it is called roarball, a ferocious, intense, far more hands-on version of the basketball we know and love.
To writers Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley’s credit, the film features hints towards one of Pixar’s first all-inclusive portrayal of the sports industry. Teams aren’t gendered, and all species are welcome.
While the plotline of “GOAT” is tremendously rudimentary, the joy of the film lies in its unorthodox landscape and dreamlike fantasy settings. Viewers will find Will giving his all on top of bubbling magma and ice-lined courts in a mythical journey to win roarball tournaments.
The camerawork is both energetic and playful — sometimes it feels like you are the ball during the games. While it may not be a good sign that I found myself admiring the film’s backdrops more than the chaos happening in front of it, the world is undeniably entrancing.
While the inexperienced, yet imaginative young goat starts off on the sidelines, the beauty of the film is that he never ultimately ends up becoming the GOAT. While he isn’t some absurdly talented champion, at the end of the day, he pushes the team to strive for integrity, soul and true sportsmanship — pillars every sports champion should aspire to achieve.
The lessons are undeniably meaningful, with kids learning the importance of teamwork, believing in oneself and overcoming others’ expectations. Will encourages other members of his team such as Jett (Union) to pass the ball, learn new skills and celebrate their hard work.
However, certain moments of the film are lost to pure hyperspeed — jokes don’t land, shameless Mercedes-Benz and Under Armour plugs are inserted, and its plotline has been regurgitated many times.
Though it makes efforts to captivate all Disney demographics through the reference of viral memes, “GOAT” slightly disappoints due to every character’s expected path towards a triumphant ending we’ve seen in nearly every other Pixar movie. It’s your basic underdog story.
If anthropomorphic animals continue to be used as vessels for the human experience, nuance could convey those concepts, especially for younger viewers.
Overall, “GOAT” reestablishes Sony’s status as one of the film industry’s most visually adventurous animation studios. Its vibrant aesthetics elevate a rather overdone plotline into something memorable, even if its script lacks the same boldness.
From now on, if you can’t count on the underdog, count on the under-goat.
Email: [email protected]
X: @sla3cwy
Related Stories
— Reel Thoughts: ‘Crime 101’ is a high-intensity ride from start to finish
— Reel Thoughts: ‘Wuthering Heights’ is not the withering mess it’s made out to be
