Dreamworks’ 2022 surprise hit was Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a poignant film that touches upon mortality and how to live with it. While laced with action and comedy, it doesn’t stray far from its true message thanks to the work of director Joel Crawford and his team.

So is it possible for the director to hit another home run in animated movie form? You bet, if the new flick Forgotten Island is any indication.

Don’t You Forget About Me

Part comedy, part action, part fantasy, and all about the meaning of friendship and what it takes to preserve it, Forgotten Island is about the misadventures of Jo (Gabriella “H.E.R” Wilson) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) as they get whisked away to the Filipino folklore island of Nakali. See, Jo and Raissa have been best friends for a while and believe in the folklore and its mythical denizens, instilled by Jo’s grandmother Lola Fatima (Dolly De Leon), though they have grown up and have to move on with their lives. At least one of them did, with the other, clearly the wild child Jo, is intent on settling with her current life.

Of course, escaping the island does mean sacrificing their memories to a demon named Batiba (Jenny Slate) while avoiding certain death from the Manananggal (Lea Salonga). So off the duo goes in search of another way that doesn’t require sacrificing their treasured memories, teaming up with a weredog named Raww (Dave Franco) and a demon baby named Bungi (Manny Jacinto) who clearly is channeling Jason from The Good Place. If you know, you know.

There are a few throwaway characters meant for gags and laughs, like Mermahn (Kevin McCann) and the Duwende tribal chief (Ronny Chieng). But they do fit in the puzzle piece that is the ever-hyper and fantastical elements of Forgotten Island. The movie clearly loves its Filipino heritage and lore that it embraces it wholeheartedly. From its accurate portrayal of 90s rural Philippines, right down to the country’s love of karaoke and lechon, to the mystical Filipino creatures of legend, Dreamworks’ portrayal and aesthetic hits the nail on the head. The fact that it combines 3D and 2D animation techniques like it did with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish just makes the overall look and feel all the more kinetic and energy-filled.

The film’s other half is carried really hard by the voiceworks. While I do not care for H.E.R’s music, she and Liza Soberano do a great job at creating a believable friendship as Jo and Raissa. Veterans Dave Franco and Manny Jacinto also did a lot of support as Raww and Bungi, complementing each other as the hyper and subdued ends of the side character palette. Jenny Slate’s Batiba proves that the actress isn’t just a one-note comedy punchline as she delivers a subdued performance as a conflicted memory-addict demon. And while Manananggal’s presence and actions don’t require many words to be imposing, Lea Salonga’s voice work adds a lot to the already-existing dread and fear of the creature.

Memento

You will spot familiar animated film tropes inside Forgotten Island -dare I say simple?- but you’ll experience the narrative and its medium in a unique and fantastical way. Where else can you watch a show where demon babies and a weredog team up with two lost girls trying to find their way out of the island that slowly steals their memories away? And also have a terrifying Southeast Asian folklore demon chasing them down; the kind that splits in half and is voiced menacingly by a classic singer/actress of Disney-slash-Broadway lore? Granted, one or two segments of the comedy may be tailored for younger audiences, but I was laughing at the jokes and setups for the most parts, chief of them involving the Duwende, allusions to Filipino culture and how it’s brought up in Nakali, and the ever-present Post-It notes with the words “BRB”. I do feel that the story has to be the right amount of straightforward to have the medium and animation style take centerstage, and it works well in this case. Just be prepared to be overwhelmed by the rapid-fire nature of the show’s action and comedic delivery.

Regardless, you’ll be enthralled through and through with Forgotten Island, from its humble start, its wildfire middle, and poignant end, not to mention its charming cast of characters and their quirks. Then again, having Dreamworks pull off another banger of an animated cinematic feature that pays respect to its sources and origin isn’t that shocking in the least. A must-watch for all ages.

Final Score: 90/100