Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
All seems well for Amadeo, a shy but talented foosball player who's in love with the free-spirited Laura. Trouble strikes when Grosso, the world's best soccer player, returns home with plans to destroy the village and turn it into a new sports stadium. When Grosso kidnaps Laura, Amadeo receives the ultimate surprise when the figurines from his foosball table spring to life to help him save his beloved and reclaim the town.
Underdogs (Metegol) is a colorful Argentine animated feature with a charming foosball-figurines-come-to-life premise that gives it some novelty within the sports animation space. The cinematography is vibrant and energetic, making good use of 3D animation particularly during soccer sequences. However, the plot is fairly formulaic — shy underdog, love interest in peril, bombastic villain — hitting predictable story beats without much surprise. The characters are broad and the voice performances serviceable but unremarkable. The ending resolves tidily and without much dramatic weight, following the expected template of the genre. It's a likable but middling animated film that works best for younger audiences.