Cast: Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Nicola Coughlan, Nick Kroll, David Harbour, Jenifer Lewis, Aaron Pierre, Patton Oswalt, Andrew Santino, Bobby Lee, Eduardo Franco, Sherry Cola, Jelly Roll, Jennifer Hudson
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Sport
Director:Â Tyree Dillihay
In Irish Cinemas: 13th February 2026
This animated romp plants one hoof firmly in familiar territory and then charges straight down the middle, blending sports-movie clichés with a brightly coloured animal kingdom engineered to keep younger viewers buzzing. At the centre of it all is a literal goat with an outsized dream: not just to play roarball, but to become the greatest of all time at it. Roarball itself is an absurdly heightened riff on basketball, staged in colossal arenas that look less like sports venues and more like gladiatorial combat zones imagine a Saturday-morning cartoon sneaking into a Mortal Kombat level and deciding to install hoops. It’s loud, frantic, and unapologetically over-the-top, which is very much the point.
The story follows the underdog blueprint with near-mathematical precision. Our hero is underestimated from the opening act, mocked for his size and species, and repeatedly told by teammates, rivals, and the unspoken logic of the world that he doesn’t belong. Training montages, setbacks, and last-minute pep talks fall into place exactly where you expect them, but the film moves quickly enough that it rarely lingers. This isn’t about surprising the audience; it’s about momentum. Every scene is designed to push the ball down the court, crack a joke, and tee up the next big play.
The voice cast does a lot of the heavy lifting. Stephen Curry’s involvement as both producer and performer gives the film an evident basketball-world seal of approval, and his presence adds a wink of meta humour for parents in the audience. Caleb McLaughlin brings an earnest, youthful energy that fits the film’s relentless optimism, while David Harbour leans comfortably into gruff-but-soft-around-the-edges territory. Gabrielle Union and Jennifer Hudson bring warmth and authority to their roles, grounding the chaos with voices that feel reassuringly confident. Nick Kroll, meanwhile, is clearly having fun, delivering jokes at a pace that borders on machine-gun fire.
Irish audiences will get an extra spark of recognition thanks to Nicola Coughlan’s turn as Olivia Burke, an ostrich player representing the Thorns. It’s a lively performance that stands out in a crowded ensemble, giving the character a playful swagger and sharp timing that cuts through the noise. Olivia isn’t just comic relief; she’s written as a competent, competitive athlete, which helps the team dynamic feel slightly less one-note. In a film packed with exaggerated personalities, that balance matters more than it might seem.
Visually, the film is a sugar rush. Neon-lit arenas, exaggerated character designs, and constant motion ensure that there’s always something happening on screen, even when the narrative is treading familiar ground. The animation favours impact over subtlety; big dunks, dramatic slow-motion leaps, and explosive crowd reactions dominate the action. It’s the kind of visual language that’s easy to read for kids and engineered to keep their attention locked in, even if adults may feel a touch overwhelmed by the sensory overload.
In the end, the film’s message is as straightforward as it comes: your perceived disadvantages don’t define your limits. It’s a sentiment that’s been delivered countless times before, especially in animated sports stories, and this version doesn’t attempt to reinvent it. What it does do is package that message in a loud, energetic, and accessible way that knows exactly who it’s playing to. There’s nothing here that will redefine the genre or linger in the memory long after the film ends, but for its target audience, it doesn’t need to. For roughly 100 minutes, it delivers colourful chaos, easy laughs, and a feel-good victory lap that will almost certainly leave kids grinning and ready to shoot imaginary hoops on the way home.
Overall: 6.5/10
Movie Reviewer
