If you strip everything else away, at the core—the soul, the center—of DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” is the pure, unadulterated power of goddamn friendship.
Potential spoilers ahead!
Best Friends Forever and Ever
“Forgotten Island” (written and directed by Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford) is, hands down, an incredible film, showcasing absolutely gorgeous Filipino culture the way it’s meant to be seen. It’s a really sweet, heartwarming, tear-jerking, fun, visually appealing look at friendship that is built from an isolated childhood.
Starring H.E.R. as Jo, Liza Soberano as Raissa, Dave Franco as Raww, Manny Jacinto as Bungi, Jenny Slate as Batiba, and Lea Salonga as the Dreaded Manananggal, the film is, essentially, a story driven by memory, by echoes of the past in the form of flashbacks. Memories power the plot, give most characters their motivations, and ultimately save the day. The strongest piece of the puzzle is the connection between Jo and Raissa.
The lifelong besties are very engaging archetypes of characters we already know: the super-smart mega-nerd and her chaotic, rule-breaking firecracker of a buddy. Audiences will come away absolutely loving Jo and Raissa’s bond. It has powerful magic that demons covet and bend reality to reunite our heroines. Everything felt meaningful, nothing was a throwaway, not even the jokes and there were so many. Every detail of their lives was made miniature by their friendship bracelet, exactly the sentimental touch needed, with laughs to balance it out. The way each memory is presented and then brought back later is so satisfying and gives weight to their plight in the third act.
One minor quibble is that we don’t get to know Raissa as well as we get to know Jo, which is my only critique of the movie. We got a little snippet of her motivations by the end with her solo showdown, but I could’ve used a little bit more. The writers do a wonderful job taking us through Jo’s life, her relationship with her lola, her low sense of self, amongst so many other things, but didn’t give Raissa the same treatment.
Maximalist Visual Style That Works
What will likely appeal to younger audiences the most is the electrifying visual art. The anime-style inserts and mix of illustration techniques all worked together really well to make it feel like a manga come to life. Given how much the film represents Filipino culture, the art also reflected that; stunning in every scene from giant birds to the solar markings in the sky.
Nothing sold the over-the-top design more than one of the antagonists: the Dreaded Manananggal, a deeply unsettling villain with multi-tiered wings, razor-sharp teeth, and a scream that burns on sight. The way she moved staccato-like, in that found-footage horror movie way was frightening. She is one of the best new baddies of the year. Some people might hate it, but we do get an intriguing, tragic peek into why this monster is so murderous, almost redeeming her horrible acts. Her constant battles with Raissa helped both characters take up more space in a story that felt solely Jo’s.
The Power of Good Storytelling and Representation
While “Forgotten Island” is a really great look at Filipino life and has powerful messaging, it’s also just entertaining as hell. There was not a single boring moment, plotting and pacing were tight, and the audience (at least, at the screening I attended) reacted at all the right moments. You could almost feel the eventual betrayal reveal ripple through the theater, which is a powerful thing to invoke as a film.
Culturally, it really was so beautiful and even though I’m not Filipino, that aspect of the story really spoke to me as a half Puerto Rican. I relate to the way friends can become family very quickly, how stories can become ancestral history, and the almost suffocating weight of familial expectations. Learning most of what I know about Filipinos from “Drag Race Philippines,” I thought this was such a vibrant, endearing peek into a culture that the average American isn’t exposed to.
What ultimately sells and drives a good narrative is the music and Nathan Matthew David, “Forgotten Island” composer, brought in a range of Filipino and Indigenous artists to flesh out the score. Blending both contemporary and traditional music in a way that made the film feel like it was happening just underneath our feet. The sounds helped mold the best friends’ frequent dance/rap breaks, the chase scenes, the parties, the flashbacks into a warm musical experience.
Final Thoughts
“Forgotten Island” is the kind of movie you watch over and over again until it becomes a comfort blanket. It’s hard to find much to complain about, but plenty to rave about. From the visual design to the smart choices in music to the girls’ friendship, it really excels in every category that matters.
Slate really was such a standout as Batiba; her squishy appearance sometimes giving way to something slightly sinister was masterfully done. H.E.R. and Soberano deserve their flowers for the amount of tears spilled watching the pair reckon with their characters’ flaws and triumphs. “Forgotten Island” is an Oscar-worthy good time with a stupendous cast, giving you fuzzy feelings that last long past the credits.
“Forgotten Island” releases in theaters Sept. 25, 2026.
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