“Forgotten Island” Is Sweet, Frantic, and Full of Heart

Forgotten Island (Joel Crawford/Januel P. Mercado, 2026) 3½ out of 5 stars

Coming off their smash hits Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Bad Guys 2, DreamWorks Animation returns with another mythical adventure. This time, it’s a period piece set in the late 1990s Philippines. Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado (who co-directed that last Puss in Boots film), Forgotten Island is an ode to childhood memories and the people who share them with you. At times, it almost flies by too quickly, but the sincerity of its narrative is what keeps it together.

Teenagers Jo (musician H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano, Lisa Frankenstein) have been inseparable since childhood, bonded over their shared love of Philippine mythology. Jo’s Lola Fatima (Dolly de Leon, Triangle of Sadness) would tell them stories of Nakali, the titular forgotten island full of magical creatures. As they got older, Jo’s rambunctiousness would frequently get them into trouble, but Raissa’s practicality always kept them grounded. On their last night before Raissa flies off to college in America, the two accidentally stumble upon a portal to Nakali. To make matters worse, if they stay on the island for too long, they’ll slowly lose their memories. With only five hours left until Raissa’s flight, the two girls must find their way home before it’s too late.

First and foremost, Forgotten Island is a high-octane, anime-influenced rush to watch. Inspired by recent films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, modern DreamWorks films have been more willing to embrace stylized character designs and movement. The colors are vibrant, the aspect ratio shifts, and comic book-style text zooms across the screen for emphasis. H.E.R. and Soberano’s chemistry is electric, with their friendship feeling lived-in and authentic. “Tayo na!” (“Let’s go!” in Tagalog) is their rallying cry, which exemplifies the film’s sheer energy. Unfortunately, that same energy leads to the film almost overloading on the 1990s references, with several needle drops coming back-to-back as reminders of exactly when we are. Thankfully, the rest of Forgotten Island is a love letter to Philippine culture.

We hear small bits of Tagalog in conversation, Raissa’s dad belts out at karaoke, and Jo snacks on lechon during a party. It shows how much care Crawford and Mercado put into getting cultural details correct. That care extends to the creatures Jo and Raissa encounter on Nakali. Their island guide Raww (Dave Franco, Together) is a were-dog who hasn’t learned how to control his transformations, so he occasionally goes “full dog.” With his guidance, Jo and Raissa go on to meet the slippery Batiba (Jenny Slate, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), the demon baby Bungi (Manny Jacinto), and even the sinister Manang (singer Lea Salonga), a bat-like creature that can split itself in half. It’s a refreshing change of pace to see cultural mythos that isn’t just Greek or Roman, and it gives Forgotten Island a unique identity.

But the film’s bigger message isn’t just about culture. It’s about the importance of memory and the pain of growing up. As Jo and Raissa make their way through the island, they realize how much of their identity is built around their shared memories. Each charm on their friendship bracelets represents a core moment in their development, the tapestry of their lives. If their entire adolescence was spent as two halves of a whole, how will they function when they’re apart? This kind of pathos is where Forgotten Island really shines, and it’s a real credit to H.E.R. and Soberano’s performances.

I had a fun time with Forgotten Island and I’m confident that audiences will feel the same. It uses the cultural specificity of the Philippines to tell a universal story about friendship and memory. It’s vibrant, emotional, and the latest in a series of 3D-animated films pushing the medium forward.

George W. Campbell

George W. Campbell is a director/screenwriter/editor from Bowie, Maryland, whose films focus on themes of family and personal relationships. As a Nicaraguan-American filmmaker, he aims to highlight specific parts of his culture and personal experiences (songs, dances, foods, and language).