DreamWorks' Forgotten Island Delivers a Kinetic, Folklore-Infused Coming-of-Age Adventure
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
DreamWorks' upcoming animated feature Forgotten Island blends Filipino folklore and hyperactive anime aesthetics with a deeply emotional coming-of-age story about childhood friendship.
Writer-directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado are back with Forgotten Island, a vibrant animated feature hitting theaters on September 25 that tackles the universally stressful transition of high-school graduation. While the core premise follows two lifelong best friends facing an inevitable crossroads, the storytelling is anything but standard. The film weaves Filipino folklore, a chronologically tangled narrative, and heavy anime visual influences into a hyperactive aesthetic that keeps the energy high from start to finish.
The central dynamic focuses on Jo, an imaginative working-class creative voiced by H.E.R., and Raissa, an affluent academic voiced by Liza Soberano. Their tight-knit friendship fractures when Raissa reveals plans to attend Caltech in the U.S. rather than local options, sparking themes of abandonment and the stark disparity in their future prospects. When a magical portal transports them to the legendary island of Nakali on their final night together, the duo must piece together a missing day of memories with the help of quirky creatures voiced by a cast that includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and Manny Jacinto.
Building on the striking stylistic risks seen in their previous work on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the directors successfully push past the traditional boundaries of American CG animation. Although the runtime occasionally stumbles over an overbearing jukebox soundtrack and a few underdeveloped cryptid supporting characters, the film anchors its chaotic visuals with genuine emotional stakes. It is a visually arresting, deeply heartfelt look at the bittersweet reality of outgrowing childhood bonds.
As Polygon notes in their review, Forgotten Island turns well-worn coming-of-age tropes into something genuinely fresh and memorable. For cross-platform players and digital natives who appreciate rich storytelling paired with high-octane visual execution, this latest outing from DreamWorks proves that original animation can still take bold creative leaps.
Tags: Animation, Film, Gaming Culture, Streaming, Pop Culture
Original article: Polygon