Forgotten Island * What If The Greatest Adventure Of Your Life Came With The Price Of Forgetting The People You Love Most
While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families. Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but-hapless weredog Raww and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal, the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Kennedy P. comments, “What if the greatest adventure of your life came with the heartbreaking price of forgetting the people you love most? That’s the premise of Forgotten Island, and it completely pulled me in.” Taysha F. adds, “I really like its strong story about friendship and memories, the creative animation, and the way music is part of the adventure. This film kept me entertained from the beginning to the very end.” Tanaysha F. wraps it up with, “It starts with a big surprise that I was NOT expecting, and it had me laughing hysterically in the theater. I knew right then that this was going to be my kind of movie.” See their full reviews below.
Forgotten Island
By Kennedy P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
(from center left) Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
What if the greatest adventure of your life came with the heartbreaking price of forgetting the people you love most? That’s the premise of Forgotten Island, and it completely pulled me in. I love how this film combines adventure, magic, friendship, family, and Filipino culture into a beautiful story that is both exciting and emotional. It reminds me just how precious our memories are and how the people we share them with are such an important part of who we are.
This is an animated fantasy adventure film by DreamWorks Animation set in the 1990s in the Philippines. Recent high school graduates, Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) are about to go their separate ways when Raissa leaves for college in America.
(from left) Raissa (Liza Soberano), Raww (Dave Franco) and Jo (H.E.R.) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
While celebrating their last night together, they discover a mysterious portal to Nakali, a hidden island filled with the magical and mythological creatures from the stories of their childhood. But Nakali comes with a dangerous secret – the island slowly feeds on the memories of those inside. Jo and Raissa soon discover that the price of returning home is losing the memories of their entire friendship, forcing them to race against time to escape before they forget each other forever.
Forgotten Island features an incredible voice cast, including H.E.R. as Jo and Liza Soberano as Raissa, whose friendship is the centerpiece of this emotional adventure. I loved watching these two women navigate their friendship, their fears, and the possibility of growing apart as they enter a new chapter of their lives. The film also brings Filipino culture and mythology to life through its characters and magical creatures.
(from left) Jo (H.E.R.), Raissa (Liza Soberano) and Zippy the Potion Fairy (Tania Gunadi) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
The animation is absolutely beautiful! I love the colorful visuals and the anime inspired style, which gives the film a unique and vibrant look. Every part of Nakali feels imaginative and is filled with details that make you want to explore this magical world along with Jo and Raissa. I also love that this is a story families can experience together, with plenty of heart, humor, adventure, and a message that stays with you long after the movie ends.
The film is a beautiful reminder that memories are one of the greatest gifts we have. Life changes; people grow up; and sometimes the people we love take different paths; but the memories we make together stay with us forever. The film reminds us that friendship takes effort, that family and culture help shape who we are, and that the bonds we create with the people we love are worth fighting for.
I give Forgotten Island 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters September 25, 2026.
Forgotten Island
By Taysha F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
Forgotten Island is an extremely entertaining and hilarious movie! I really like its strong story about friendship and memories, the creative animation, and the way music is part of the adventure. This film kept me entertained from the beginning to the very end.
The storyline follows best friends Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano). Jo grows up hearing stories from her grandmother Lola (Dolly de Leon) about a mysterious island called Nakali and its magical creatures, even though most people don’t believe the stories are real. As Jo and Raissa get older and prepare to go in different directions, they unexpectedly find themselves on Nakali and have to work together to find their way home before they lose the memories of their friendship.
Raissa (Liza Soberano) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
This film is hilarious and entertaining from the beginning to the end, and I already plan to see it again with my friends. There are so many things that stand out to me in this movie. I really like the friendship between Jo and Raissa because Jo finally finds someone who shares her interests and understands things that other people think are strange. My favorite character is the weredog, Raww (Dave Franco), because he is really funny, and my favorite part is when he finally learns how to control his powers. I also love the animation. The way the lighting reflects off Jo and Raissa’s hair is very unique, and the colorful effects are very impressive. The creatures on Nakali are unusual and add to making the movie so unique. I especially think the Merman walking around on land is funny. The music also stands out because it isn’t just playing in the background; the characters actually use music to solve problems during their adventure. The music choices fit the scenes really well. I was disappointed in the villain, the Dreaded Manananggal (Lea Salonga), which falls short. We learn a little about them, but I still wanted to know more about the villain’s past and what shapes its character.
(from left) Raissa (Liza Soberano), Raww (Dave Franco) and Jo (H.E.R.) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
The film’s message is about friendship and the importance of memories. Memories aren’t just about the things we remember, they help shape who we are and connect us to the people we love. We are also reminded that friendships have their ups and downs, but those things don’t destroy the bond between true friends. Note that there are some scary-looking creatures, serious action and dangerous situations may be inappropriate for younger viewers.
I give Forgotten Island 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. It opens in theaters on September 25, 2026.
Forgotten Island
By Tanaysha F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
(from left) Little Raissa (Kayla Teruel) and Little Jo (Kailey Crawford) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
I really like Forgotten Island. It is exciting, full of surprises, and absolutely hilarious! It starts with a big surprise that I was NOT expecting, and it had me laughing hysterically in the theater. I knew right then that this was going to be my kind of movie.
The storyline follows Jo (H.E.R.) and her best friend Raissa (Liza Soberano). Jo’s grandmother (Dolly de Leon) told her about the island of Nakali and the creatures that live there. Other kids don’t believe Jo’s stories about Nakali except Raissa (actor). They become best friends and stumble across a mysterious portal that takes them to Nakali, but they discover that the price for leaving is to love the memories of their entire friendship. They have to work together to try to find their way home before they forget each other forever.
(from left) Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
This movie had me laughing from the very beginning, took me on a crazy adventure in the middle, and gave me something to think about. There is always something happening in this film and that kept my attention. My favorite characters are the protagonist, Jo and Raww, the wolf-dog (Dave Franco). Jo is different and is fearless. Raww is hilarious; he has some of the funniest moments in the movie. One of my favorite scenes is when Jo and Raissa are kids and the car starts rolling down the hill while they are inside. One of them is laughing while the other one is screaming. That scene is hilarious because it shows their two different personalities as they react completely differently to the same crazy situation. I really like the ending of this film because everything finally comes together.
Things that happened earlier in the movie start to make more sense. Memories are such an important part of the story.
Jo (H.E.R.) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
The ending makes the message stronger because friendship is at the center of the movie from the beginning all the way to the end.
The film’s message is about friendship and the value of memories. Best friends aren’t always going to agree, but that doesn’t mean their friendship has to end. Don’t let one bad moment destroy years of good memories.
I give Forgotten Island 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. It opens in cinemas on September 25, 2026.
