Review - Forgotten Island (2026)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, I just went to check out DreamWorks Animation's new movie Forgotten Island, which features the voice talents of H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, and Lea Salonga. 

        Set in the '90s, Forgotten Island follows the story of Jo and Raissa, two lifelong friends in the Philippines who are about to part ways, as Raissa is preparing to travel to America to attend college at CalTech. However, the night before Raissa is set to leave, the two girls find a sand dollar, which opens the portal to the land of Nakali, where they find they had a hell of an adventure, but wake up unable to remember it. Can they regain their memories, find the portal key, and return home, or will the island consume their most precious memories? 

       Okay, so, the island of Nakali, as well as the many mythical creatures that inhabit it, a come from Filipino mythology, and all really cool designs. The animation in the movie is very briskly paced, while also taking time to slow down in the more emotional moments of the story. And, how the story tells if the importance of memories and holding onto them, and how memories are what make us who we are is really well done, and a very valuable lesson for an animated family flick. 

       The voice talent was also phenomenal, with the lead duo of H.E.R. as Jo and Liza Soberano as Raissa especially standing out. And, their friendship is, very much, a strong element of the movie. With the side characters, Dave Franco as Raww, a were-aspin, and Manny Jacinto as Bungi, the large baby Tiyanak, added a decent amount of humor and levity to the movie. And, more villainous characters like Jenny Slate as Batiba, the memory demon, and Lea Salonga as the dreaded Manang, were threatening in two very distinct ways. And, then there's the warrior race of the Duwende, which also add some humor to the movie. 

        Overall, Forgotten Island is absolutely fantastic, and the writer-director duo of Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, who also worked on DreamWorks Animation's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, made a thoroughly entertaining film for all ages, one of my favorite animated movies of the year, and yet another great film in the thirty-year filmography of DreamWorks Animation. 

        Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review. 

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