A film about memory had better be memorable, and Forgotten Island rises to the challenge. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado—the team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish—send two lifelong friends through a portal to Nakali, an island where forgotten things end up, and fill it with the creatures and colours of Filipino folklore.
It is loud, fast and dazzling, sometimes to a fault. But beneath the sugar rush is a tender story about growing up, growing apart and deciding what is worth holding on to.
Forgotten Island bursts with imagination but never loses sight of the friendship holding it together.
Movie at a Glance
- UK cinemas: 16 October 2026
- US cinemas: Released 25 September 2026
- Certificate: PG in the US
- Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
- Directors: Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado
- Voice cast: H.E.R., Liza Soberano and Dave Franco
- Studio: DreamWorks Animation; distributed by Universal Pictures
- Genre: Animated family adventure
Viewer Match
- Best for: Families, animation fans and anyone with a best friend they have known forever.
- Maybe skip if: Hyperactive pacing and constant visual noise wear you out.
- Mood and pace: Vibrant, frantic and funny, with a genuinely emotional core.
- Cinema or streaming?: Cinema: the colour and scale are built for the big screen.
- Spoiler level: None: premise only.
A Friendship Worth Remembering
The film’s heart is the bond between its two leads, voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano with warmth and ease. Their history feels lived in, and the story uses the island’s logic—what we forget, what we refuse to let go—to explore the bittersweet moment when childhood friendships face adult change.
That emotional clarity is what separates Forgotten Island from the louder, emptier end of studio animation. The jokes are plentiful, but the film keeps returning to the question of what the friends owe each other.
Folklore in Full Colour
Visually, this continues DreamWorks’ recent move away from its glossy house style towards something more painterly and anime-influenced. Nakali is a riot of candy colours and inventive creatures drawn from Filipino myth, and the designs give the film a distinct identity rather than a borrowed one.
The music adds energy, and the action is choreographed with the same verve the directors brought to their last outing. It is the kind of animation that rewards a second viewing simply to catch what was happening in the corners of the frame.
When More Is Too Much
Not everyone will find the pace a pleasure. The film rarely pauses, and its relentless energy can crowd out quieter beats that might have let its characters breathe. Younger viewers are unlikely to mind; some adults may feel bombarded.
Even so, the sincerity shines through. This is imaginative, culturally specific family filmmaking with a real point of view, and it stands among the studio’s finest recent work.
Spoiler-Free Verdict
Forgotten Island is a candy-coloured celebration of friendship and Filipino folklore, bursting with imagination and heart. Its relentless pace occasionally overwhelms, but this is DreamWorks at its most inventive and sincere.
- Performances: 8.5/10
- Direction: 8.5/10
- Screenplay: 8/10
- Score: 8.5/10
- Cinematography: 9/10
- Entertainment Value: 8.5/10
- Overall score: 8.5/10
Star rating: 4.25/5
Verdict badge: Worth Seeing
One-line verdict: A dazzling, heartfelt adventure that proves the strongest memories are the ones we share.
Watch the Official Trailer
The official trailer may reveal more than this spoiler-free review.
Which childhood friendship would you never want to forget? Share your thoughts with Movieversalfilm—and keep the spoilers under wraps.