by Henry Pham
DreamWorks’s Forgotten Island is set in the Philippines and follows high school graduates Jo and Raissa, best friends. After graduating high school and while celebrating their last night together, they stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families. Now joined by a weredog, Raww, and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal, the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa must find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
H.E.R. (The Color Purple) and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein) voice Jo and Raissa, two lifelong friends facing a turning point after high school when Raissa announces she will attend Caltech. Jo worries this decision may jeopardize their close bond. One evening, they discover a portal that transports them to the magical island of Nakali, home to the mythological creatures of their childhood memories. There, they meet Raww the weredog (Dave Franco), Bungi (Manny Jacinto), and Mermahn (Kevin McCann), who join them in searching for the magical sand dollar, which can reopen the portal, and in confronting Batiba (Jenny Slate) and The Dreaded Manananggal (Lea Salonga).
Oscar nominee Joel Crawford (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) and Januel Mercado serve as writers and directors. Unlike many Hollywood animated films set in Asia that focus on martial arts, this film offers a fresh perspective by exploring the challenges of maintaining lifelong friendships. The story also advances Asian representation and addresses themes of adulthood. While Asian culture is often generalized in American media, this film highlights the unique richness of Filipino culture and challenges common misconceptions.
This movie feels like a spiritual sequel to The Wild Robot, as DreamWorks Animation is known for making films that are based on books, but it is brand new. It tells a multigenerational story of a fictional island called Nakali (short for “Nakalimutan”). The friendship bracelets shown in this film led the iconography to represent humans and friends growing up together. This story is way more sanitized, hilarious, and child-friendly, while the animation, combining both 2D and 3D, is the highlight of this piece (similar to the Spider-Man animated films). Not to mention that the anime sequence is used to provide more comedy for Asian audiences.
Forgotten Island emotionally excels at being a friendly, magical flick produced by DreamWorks Animation. The themes of friendship and separation are the movie’s strongest aspects. As an Asian American film critic hailing from Dallas, Texas, this movie hit so hard emotionally. I predict it will be one of the nominees for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. If you are planning on seeing this film, it is a must-watch, and it clocks in at 108 minutes. I would have described this as a mixture of The Wild Robot, Crash Bandicoot games, and Toys R Us commercials. The soundtrack, visuals, voice acting performances, and emotional weight are also stellar. Be cautious that the third act is increasingly tear-jerking.
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