In the early 1990s, Jo and Raissa are best friends growing up in the Philippines. The two grow up fascinated by Jo’s grandmothers’ tales of visiting the mythical island of Nakali. As the two grow older and Jo’s grandmother passes away, Jo faces a personal crisis discovering that Raissa is moving to America for college. When a trip on the beach results in the pair being whisked away to Nakali, the two find themselves struggling to look for a way back home… only to find they have no memory of their first several hours on the island. They must team up with an assortment of creatures from around the island while dodging threats like a creature that steals memories, and a deadly female vampire. Will the duo escape the island in time for Raissa to catch her flight to America?
Animated movies these days are a dime a dozen, hit and miss as can be. In my years as a film critic, I’ve seen some powerful relatable ones, and some forgettable ones that will only appeal to the youngest of children. Upon hearing about FORGOTTEN ISLAND, I was fascinated by the movie for two reasons. First and foremost, its depictions of Filipino culture, which remains criminally underrated and underrepresented by mainstream cinema in the United States. And secondly, a journey at friendship over the course of a lifetime between two people, from every angle, including the good and bad alike. While the end result is perhaps a bit overstuffed with characters and plot points, the beautiful animation, touching emotional content, and long overdue representation all work to its advantage. It’s one of the best family movies in years.
You can tell a lot of heart went into FORGOTTEN ISLAND. This isn’t just some “kids movie” where the filmmakers slapped a bunch of colorful images and characters on the screen to see what stuck. The screenwriters clearly have a knowledge of friendship and life experiences which they’ve brought to the big screen in the best possible way. The opening montage is the best start to an animated family movie since the one in UP several years ago, with us truly believing these two young ladies, voiced by HER and Liza Soberano, have been friends for years. When tensions develop, it hits the audience hard because it’s among the most relatable content in a family film to come along in years. FORGOTTEN ISLAND is truly a “family movie” and not just a “kids movie.” Kids will love the colorful creatures and visuals, but adults will love it for the emotional highs and lows.
The look of the film is just as impressive. FORGOTTEN ISLAND is the latest in a long line of CG family films, but it regularly intermixes 2D and 3D visuals, with varying art styles as needed, including some heavy anime influence in certain scenes. Even the most exciting adventure is dull and flat if the animation is boring. FORGOTTEN ISLAND is anything but mundane. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen, which in this case was the Dolby room at AMC Town Square; this is the best room in which to catch a film anywhere in Sin City, and it more than did justice to the colorful visuals.
One area FORGOTTEN ISLAND scores major points is its representations of Filipino culture. Again, this is something that’s been criminally underrepresented on the big screen in American mainstream cinema, not to mention on a local level, Las Vegas has a huge Filipino population. From everyday life growing up in the nation in the early 90s to elements of the culture’s mythology, the movie goes all in. While I’m admittedly not someone familiar with these elements, it certainly intrigued me to see them, and I found myself fascinated from start to finish.
If there’s one minor weakness in an otherwise great film, it’s that FORGOTTEN ISLAND is perhaps too slightly overstuffed with characters. I understand the filmmakers wanting to get in as many elements of Filipino culture and mythology as possible, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times to follow it all. Several of these characters could’ve been left on the cutting room floor with no real loss of substance. For example, comedian/actor Ronnie Chieng voices the leader of a race of unusually cute and small warriors… but if they hadn’t been in the movie, would anyone really have known the difference? Still, the good outweighs the bad.
FORGOTTEN ISLAND may be slightly too long and overstuffed, but succeeds thanks to its unique animation style, relatable and emotional themes, and Filipino representation. It’s truly a “family movie” and not just a “kids movie,” with writer and directors who clearly know the themes of family and friendship. It may be the best family movie of 2026. Very highly recommended!