GOAT (PG) – 100 minutes

An entertaining and engaging sports-based animation from the studio behind Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, this is an underdog story involving animals.

The title refers to the horned creature, as well as the greatest of all time.

Will Harris is a little goat with big dreams. 

For as long as he can remember, his hero in a game called roarball, which looks suspiciously like basketball, has been five-time all-star black panther Jett Fillmore.

She plays for the Vineland Thorns and as a young goat, Will always dreamt of being in the big league and emulating Jett’s feats.

It is a competition in which males and females play alongside each other.

The game is dominated by the most powerful animals in the world.

Even though Will is a sharpshooter, he is small and readily brushed aside by what are termed the bigs.

Finally, he gets his unlikely shot. 

That happens when the Thorns are on the slide and Will is skint, having to couch surf with friends after being unable to pay his rent.

Scurrilous team owner, warthog Flo Everson sees a viral video of Will in action against Jett Fillmore’s archrival, Andalusian horse Mane Attraction.

Against Jett’s wishes, Flo signs up Will.

But, the whole thing is only a publicity stunt, and despite his pleas Will isn’t given any game time until Jett, at the tail end of his career, is fouled out.

The story pivots around Fillmore learning to accept that she can’t always be the sole focus and that this is a team sport, in which others should also get a look in. 

That, and the fact that Will Harris’ mother, now passed, believed in him.

And, finally, that Fillmore has one last chance to finish her career with a championship victory against Mane Attraction and his team, Magma.

One of the producers of the film, who also voices one of characters – a giraffe named Lenny Williamson – is four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.

Keen to showcase the world of sport both on and off the court, he and the filmmakers have delved deep into detail with the animation, which is first class.

The shoes, the clothing, the soundtrack make for a heady, attractive and realistic mix.

Of course, being animated, the filmmakers can go far beyond this, which they do.

During the movie, roarball is played on ice and in searing desert heat.

There is a veritable zoo of animals depicted, including an ostrich, rhino, Komodo dragon, grizzly bear, Ilama, armadillo, gorilla, polar bear, alligator and more.

GOAT is fun and good humoured, with the audience being invited to ride the highs, lows and dirty dealings. 

While the good versus evil theme is the bread and butter of movies, this gives it a decidedly different twist that should readily resonate.

Rated PG, it scores a 7 out of 10.