THE STORY – Two best friends become stranded on the mystical world of Nakali, where their only escape might cost them their shared lifetime of memories.
THE CAST – H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Lea Salonga, Dolly De Leon, Jo Koy & Ronny Chieng
THE TEAM – Joel Crawford & Januel Mercado (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes
“Forgotten Island” is a blank-check movie. We don’t get many of those in animation because it is so costly and unavoidably collaborative. Still, a movie as original, as edgy, as bombastic as this could only be approved after filmmakers proved they deserve to be trusted. Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado shocked the film community with “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and its vibrant, refreshing new painterly art style. That film crushed the box office and scored an Oscar nomination. The filmmakers could’ve played it safe by making another sequel to a DreamWorks franchise or adapting some popular IP, but instead poured their hearts into something much more special. Clearly satisfied with their work, DreamWorks greenlit this wild coming-of-age tale steeped in Filipino folklore. That trust in Crawford and Mercado has paid off handsomely. “Forgotten Island” is one of the most exciting animated films in years, bursting with energy and overflowing with ideas, but most of all, telling a powerful story about the friendships that shape us and the memories that remind us who we are.
Set in the Philippines in the ’90s, Jo and Raissa (Voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano) become best friends as mischievous young girls. Jo’s the rowdier of the two, but the pair becomes inseparable, causing chaos (mostly the good kind) throughout their childhoods and through high school graduation. They bond over the thrilling folktales that Jo’s Lola, or grandmother (Dolly de Leon), tells them about the island of Nakali and the mythical monster Manananggal. Lola tells stories of her own travels to this world, though most people mock her for filling the children’s heads with crazy stories. But as the girls get older, they begin to face reality a bit more.
As Jo struggles to grow up, Raissa makes the hard decision to leave the Philippines and go to school in America, threatening to strain their deep friendship. But of course, this is just the setup for the real meat of the story, as the girls get magically transported to Nakali and discover that not only does the island really exist, but they’ve also become entangled in a mess they might not get out of. When the girls wake up in Nakali, they realize 12 hours have passed, but their memories from that time are completely gone. The pair have lost the sand dollar portal that could get them back home, and thus must embark on a “Hangover”-style mission to piece their memories back together and find the missing key.
Right from the start, it’s clear “Forgotten Island” is holding nothing back. The tone is wild, chaotic, and in-your-face, both in the animation and the extraordinary world the girls have dropped into. Nakali is full of countless mythical creatures, from mermen (excuse me, “Mermahn”) to giant demon babies to tiny mushroom guys who look like marshmallows. Jo and Raissa team up with Raww (Dave Franco), a half-dog, half-man, full party bro who might be able to fill in the gaps in their missing night. Jenny Slate plays an agoraphobic memory-stealing demon, whose desire for experiences could cost Jo and Raissa their beloved charm bracelets, collected throughout their lives together. Over the 110-minute movie, so many characters, backstabs, and villains are packed in that it nearly becomes overwhelming, but Crawford and Mercado’s script holds it all together. They expertly weave the hunt for their missing night with the history the girls have built together over the years, building the emotional layers one by one as they embark on the journey.
For all of Nakali’s sensory overload, the animation remains endlessly inventive. Not a single shot in this film feels ordinary or bland, or like it could’ve come from any other film this year. It’s the most visually inventive mainstream animation movie since “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Bold colors, wide angles, messy lines, and unique textures abound. Anime accents pop out when anger boils over, and accent lines make every action feel extreme. Every frame feels truly magical. The soundtrack doesn’t skimp on energy either, featuring covers of INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart” and “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” Filipino rap, and composer Nathan Matthew David’s score, which blends nostalgic electronic tones, vocalizations, and traditional Filipino instruments.
Along the girls’ journey, they face a number of foes, but none is scarier than Manang (Lea Salonga), the terrifying Manananggal, who can rip herself in two to help her violently track down Jo and Raissa. In addition to experimenting visually, “Forgotten Island” tests the limits of its PG rating. Manang’s creepy from head to toe, and her numerous chases throughout the film can be downright terrifying. But it’s refreshing to see a movie refuse to pander or talk down to its audience, particularly one aimed largely at kids. Jo and Raissa aren’t children. They’re 18, young adults, and they mostly act like it, even with mild language from time to time.
Even amid the film’s breakneck pace, a warmth seeps through the whole thing. Plenty of nostalgia helps create that feeling, but it’s not the only thing. This centers around that time when high school friends often break apart as people move into different stages of life or move away. But “Forgotten Island” wants you to hold on to the people who made you and the memories that shaped who you became. It’s not to dwell in the past or refuse to grow up, but to acknowledge that even as you grow, you can’t shake off the things, good or bad, that propelled you to where you are right now. Jo and Raissa refuse to let those memories die. It’s rare to see animation so unapologetically alive. In a landscape crowded with overly cautious family entertainment, “Forgotten Island” is anything but forgettable.
