‘GOAT’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Hypnotizing Spectacle Compensates For A Familiar Game

From Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the artists that made KPop Demon Hunters, comes GOAT, an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world. The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”

For in-depth thoughts on GOAT, please see my colleague Joshua Mbonu’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

GOAT comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a dazzling 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer that will be demo material for any home theater. One of the most impressive upgrades from the already stunning included Blu-Ray comes in the form of the sumptuous colors. With every single hue that permeates the screen, you are convinced that this is what the format was made for, as they spring to life with a mesmerizing intensity. Black levels are impossibly deep with no signs of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of any sort. Highlights are maintained to perfection, which aids in sidestepping any blooming. 

The boundaries of animation keep being pushed to awe-inspiring levels, and this feature continues the recent trend of shaking things up with a blending of different animation styles. The dynamic character designs flow from one moment to the next without anything looking unnatural. Every individual feels suited to the environment they occupy. The level of detail the animation team puts into each scene will make this a rewarding rewatch just to catch everything. The textures of the different designs and backgrounds are beyond impressive and give the film a miraculous sense of depth. When it comes to the characters, all of the minute facets that give them personality stand out in a memorable way. Sony has delivered the ideal home entertainment experience.  

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides a Dolby Atmos track that dominates the already impressive DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track also included. From the opening roar of the crowd, the film permeates nearly all of the surround speakers with interpersonal moments and the kinetic game set pieces. Atmospheric sound effects are deployed perfectly within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. The utilization of the height channels is astonishing as it makes each new stadium have a unique identity while being terrifically immersive. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the energetic soundtrack or sound effects. Kris Bowers’ score adds a lot of personality to the project that complements the soundtrack. The low end effects from the subwoofer give moments big and small extra heft to feel every basket. Sony has pulled out all of the stops for this one. Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, and many more subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Game Recognizes Game: A nearly 12-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the development of the project, how this differs from other Sony Animation projects, assembling a team to create this world, the vocal talent assembled, and more. 

• All-Star Lineup: An 11-minute piece that looks closer at the cast and what they bring to each character. 

• Courts Come Alive: A nearly seven-minute exploration of the various intricate courts created for the games. 

• Animal Aesthetic: A nearly eight-minute look at the creation of the world from the clothing to the use of technology and other worldbuilding elements. 

• East Egg Replay: A nearly five-minute dive into the copious amount of easter eggs peppered throughout the film.

• Lyric Videos

• • “I’m Good” by Jelly Roll (3:09)

• • “Mention Me” by Cortis (3:11)

• Deleted Scene with Filmmaker Intro: A nearly six-minute showcase of some scenes that didn’t make the final cut. These are presented in an unfinished form. 

• Make Your Own Pick & Roll Roarball Pizza Bites with Ayesha Curry: A seven-minute crash course on how to make some delicious looking snacks. 
• Previews

Final Thoughts

GOAT is a tantalizing viewing experience thanks to the care put into making the animation as explosive and jaw-dropping as the action being represented on screen. Major animation studios have been emboldened over the last decade to move further away from hyperrealism and into the realm of the stylistically daring. How this story is told carries a lot of the weight for a narrative that is a pretty traditional underdog journey. The ensemble brings a degree of charisma to the project, but the script never gets as funny as some of the best titles from the studio. The movie is an inoffensive watch, yet you can see the potential for a better movie with a bit of script polishing. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a knockout A/V presentation and a strong assortment of special features. Recommended 

GOAT is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

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