Forgotten Island: A Filipino Animated Fantasy Worth Watching

Finally had the chance to watch Forgotten Island at the cinema today. It’s my youngest daughter’s wellness break so we decided to watch it together since she wanted to see it. The movie was also age-appropriate and very much her kind of genre. She likes animated fantasy movies with a bit of horror and comedy. As for me, I’m more into action-packed films - fight scenes, war movies, and documentaries. I also enjoy fantasy and suspense films as long as they’re well-written. And I rarely watch love story, harhar...

image: ctto

Going back to Forgotten Island, I don’t think it was as bad as some people made it out to be. Maybe the movie was primarily aimed at a teenage audience. But as a Gen-X mom of Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha kids, I could relate to what the film was trying to convey. I was glad to see Filipino culture represented in the movie, from our mannerisms (giving direction using the mouth) to some of our favorite pastimes (karaoke baby!). It was nice to see these familiar aspects of Filipino life brought into an animated fantasy story. 

But I have to admit I wasn’t entirely focused on the film at the beginning. The characters were quite noisy, and some scenes moved so quickly that it was difficult to take everything in. There seemed to be so much going on that I almost got confused why the lola in the story had suddenly disappeared. Well, you’ll eventually figure out what happened as the story unfolds :D 

As a Filipino, I was quite hoping the story would explore also other aspects of Philippine folklore and not just on mythological creatures. There’s so much more to draw inspiration from, like the legends of our early ancestors and their spiritual and religious beliefs. I think exploring these aspects could have made the story even more interesting and meaningful. 

Anyway, the story centers on two teenage best friends who are afraid of being separated when the time comes for them to attend different colleges. One of them had this fear that growing apart might lose their friendship. But hey, true friend supports your dreams and even encourage you to pursue them, even if it means taking different paths. I will not elaborate more but both happen to see a portal to the Forgotten Island and that's where the adventure begins. However, I still find the plot quite simple, or perhaps I was expecting  more depth from the storyline. 

On the brighter side, the voice actors did a great job of bringing their characters to life. I could feel the emotions behind their performances and appreciate the messages they were trying to convey. I just wish the storyline was stronger and more engaging to keep viewers invested from beginning to end. Still, the film did a pretty good job, so kudos! 

In all fairness, my 16-year-old daughter had so much fun watching it. She's neurodivergent, and seeing how much she enjoyed the film and laughed at the funny scenes made the experience more worthwhile for me as a mom. I think her favorite character was Raww, the were-dog. She also found Bungi funny. If only she knows that tiyanaks are actually pretty scary in Filipino folklore! LOL. 

I think my favorite character would have to be Manang. I'm just a big fan of Lea Salonga so pardon me if I'm a bit bias here. Even though she voiced the villain, I was glad that she's included in the film. From voicing the Disney Princesses to the scary Manang the manananggal, well, that's Lea Salonga everyone! 

Before judging this film based on what others say, try watching it for yourself. Give it a chance, form your own opinion but be fair in your criticism. We don't have to love every Filipino film but we should at least give our own stories the opportunity to be seen, heard, and appreciated. Let's support Filipino films not just because they're ours, but because our stories deserve a chance to be told. 

Overall, I’d give Forgotten Island a 7/10. I would recommend it to others and encourage them to give the movie a chance. What makes Forgotten Island particularly worth giving a chance? For me, it's their effort in bringing our cultural heritage to a wider audience through animation. It’s a proud moment to see our stories reaching international audiences and introducing our culture to people who are not familiar with them. I hope this also inspires more filmmakers (local and international) to explore the richness of Filipino folklore, history, and traditions. Because honestly, there is so much about our heritage that deserves to be told and shared with the world. So, Tayo Na! ;-)