Some movies entertain you. A rare few wrap you in a hug and don’t let go. Forgotten Island, DreamWorks Animation’s fantasy-comedy adventure now playing in theaters, is the second kind. Set in the 1990s Philippines and steeped in Filipino folklore, it’s a film about friendship, memory, and the stories we grow up hearing — and it’s one of the loveliest things DreamWorks has ever made.
A story told with love
The setup is simple and perfect: two best friends, Jo and Raissa, find themselves trapped in Nakali, the mystical world they grew up hearing stories about. That’s it. No chosen-one prophecy, no universe to save — just two kids navigating a world built from the tales their families told them.
Writers-directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado drew on their own friendship and on Philippine mythology to build the film, and you feel that intimacy in every frame. This isn’t folklore as set dressing. It’s folklore as home. The film trusts its audience — kids and grown-ups alike — to fall into a world that feels ancient and brand new at the same time.
Animation that actually looks like something
Let’s talk about the look, because it’s extraordinary. Forgotten Island layers hand-drawn 2D expressions and playful “sticker” elements over 3D models, with a clear anime influence running through it. In an era when so much big-studio animation has started to look like it came off the same assembly line, this film has fingerprints all over it. You can feel artists’ hands in the frame.
Early work-in-progress screenings at CinemaCon and Annecy this year had already built buzz, and the finished film delivers. Several outlets are calling it one of DreamWorks’ best — CBR went so far as to say it “transcends its flaws and could begin a new franchise.” When critics start talking franchise before opening weekend, you know something special happened.
A cast that sings
The voice cast is stacked: H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, Lea Salonga, and Kevin McCann. Lea Salonga’s presence alone is a kind of benediction — a legend lending her voice to a film celebrating Filipino culture feels exactly right. H.E.R. brings real musical soul to the proceedings, and the ensemble clicks the way great comedy ensembles do: everyone gets their moment, nobody steps on anyone’s laughs. Crawford and Mercado built the story from their own friendship, and that warmth radiates through every performance — you can tell this was a labor of love, not a committee product.
Representation that feels like celebration
Here’s what elevates Forgotten Island beyond “good animated movie” into something more meaningful. Filipino culture isn’t the backdrop; it’s the engine. The mythology, the humor, the family dynamics, the 1990s Philippines setting — it all comes from a place of genuine affection. Jollibee even ran a global promotional campaign around the film celebrating friendship and Filipino culture, which tells you how deeply this resonated beyond the screen. Stories that honor where they come from have a way of traveling everywhere, and this one is built to travel.
The verdict
Forgotten Island is that rare family film that respects every member of the family. Kids get a thrilling, funny adventure in a dazzling world. Adults get a meditation on friendship and memory that sneaks up on you — fair warning, the third act got us. At 109 minutes, it never drags, never panders, and never mistakes noise for excitement.
The directors have already told Collider they have sequel and franchise ideas, and honestly? Good. Nakali is a world worth revisiting. But even if this were a one-and-done, it would stand as a high-water mark: proof that original stories, told with cultural specificity and real heart, still win. It’s the kind of feel-good moviegoing we need more of — and a reminder of how great storytelling keeps finding new voices.
Go see it. Bring someone you love. You’ll both come out smiling — and you’ll be glad you shared it together.
