It seems that when DreamWorks releases an original work, not everyone is excited about it. Personally, I’ve been eager to see something that isn’t an adaptation of a children’s book or YA novel, and Forgotten Island fills that gap perfectly! What’s presented is a mishmash of Filipino folklore woven into a tale crafted for the same demographic to watch rather than enjoy on paper.
Here, Raissa Molina (Liza Soberano) and Jo Yuson (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) are two kids who meet under the most auspicious of circumstances and quickly become best friends. Years later, as high school graduation looms, Raissa’s parents announce she’s going to Caltech to study, and Jo fears being left behind. What they discover during their “last days” together sends them on a fantasy trip to Wonderland!
Technically, that realm is Nakali, a fictional world Jo mentioned in her elementary school presentation. It’s populated by a small assortment of legendary beasts that would make Newt Scamander happy to visit. Although, I’d wonder how many of them he’d want to collect; I wouldn’t say keeping the number of fantastic creatures to show up on screen limited is a bad thing, but surely there must be a lot more!
If I wanted a proper lesson on what exists in this island nation, I’d pick up a scholarly book on the subject and give a solid catalogue. As far as I know there really is no term in Filipino to describe this world the two teens are visiting. It’s better known as the Kabilang-Mundo (“Other World”). And the word Engkanto is more of a catch-all word to describe all the spirits occupying this space rather than the place they inhabit.
Not using an existing term is a head-scratcher. I don’t know what writers/directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado were thinking when they inserted made-up ideas into a movie marketed as “faithful” to this nation’s folklore. As for whom the girls should fear or ally themselves with, I’d say this film is picky about which beings it represents.
The two beings to worry about here are a vampire-like creature and a demon, a Batiba (Jenny Slate), who steals one’s memories. The rest mostly serve as minor characters who reveal what happened during the girls’ stay on the island. This feels like a Filipino version of Spirited Away, with the pair figuring out who their friends and enemies truly are. Along for the ride is a rather strange and annoying werewolf-like character, Raww (Dave Franco). With other beings who feel more like cryptids, this assortment is more fascinating than the actual story at hand.
As for the colourful visuals and animation, it seems DreamWorks wants to embrace the style it used in The Bad Guys. I can get used to it, but I much prefer the traditional models from this studio’s Kung Fu Panda days. This approach keeps cropping up, and when I’m reminded of KPop Demon Hunters, I can’t say that’s a compliment. That animated cousin also explores similar themes. Sometimes, splitting up is needed. But as expected, everyone gets back together and comes out stronger in the end.
Even in The Croods, the lesson concerns losing oneself in a greater world. Eep wants to leave the nest and meets Guy, but pops doesn’t want to let go. Although this studio’s stories are similar to a degree, I have to wonder: does it have a mandate to revisit this topic in every film? I’m excluding adaptations of known books. Among its originals, Abominable and Ruby Gillman also explore trying to find a place to belong.
That’s what Jo fears she’ll lose. The film leaves gaps in its explanation of why her G.I. father hasn’t brought his daughter to America, who his war bride was and what happened to her. Jo was raised by her grandmother, but these questions are never properly addressed. I wanted to know more about what makes this hyperactive young teen who she is. It’s easy to say she fears being left behind, but there must be more going on than meets the eye.
A few pieces of dialogue can’t bring it all together. Without flashbacks to reveal some of those good times, especially with her missing mother, it feels as though something has been edited out, and the tale suffers for it. This movie shouldn’t just be about two friends afraid of losing touch. It should also show why they choose to be BFFs in the first place.
3½ out of 5
Forgotten Island Trailer
