Entertainment
Forgotten Island Is A Celebration of Filipino Culture and Identity
Filipino culture has slowly been making more of an appearance in U.S. pop culture recently — but when Filipino cultural identity turns up in films or shows, it tends to be an Easter egg rather than a driving force for the characters or main story. So it was a surprise when DreamWorks announced a film inspired by Filipino culture, co-directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the creative team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, with a soundtrack featuring some of the decade’s biggest P-pop (Philippine Pop) artists. Forgotten Island promises to be a celebration of Filipino culture and identity, similar to what KPop Demon Hunters did for Korean culture. But did it hit the mark?
‘Forgotten Island’ Puts Filipino Culture In the Spotlight
Forgotten Island follows Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), two longtime best friends whose relationship was forged through their mutual fascination with the island of Nakali (aka Forgotten Island), a mythic place often spoken about by Jo’s grandmother, Fatima. But when we meet the pair, they’re young adults, and their friendship is put to the test: Raissa has revealed that she’s moving to the U.S. for college, leaving Jo behind in the Philippines. On their final night before Raissa’s flight, the two find a portal that finally transports them to Forgotten Island — but the next day, they wake with no memory of the previous night, and no knowledge of how to get back home. They begin their journey back with the help of Raww (Dave Franco), a were-aspin (or were-dog), and begin encountering other creatures based on Filipino mythology. Soon, the pair learn that leaving the island might require them to give up some of their memories of their time together.
Jo and Raissa are two sides of the same coin, polar opposites in personality and intellect, but they share a deep love, as well as a passion for Forgotten Island. While it is something of a cliché to pair the rowdy artistic kid who does not take advantage of their potential with the academically gifted child who’s deadset on leaving home, their opposites-attract friendship helps set the scene for film’s conflict, and H.E.R. and Soberano truly sell this relationship through their voice acting. With their warm dynamic, you genuinely believe that the two really did grow up together, and that even in a wild adventure, they’re trying to negotiate this new phase of their friendship.
‘Forgotten Island’s References to Filipino Culture Are More Than Surface-Level
On the surface, Forgotten Island is a story about friendship and how you should not take memories for granted. But deep down, it is a celebration of Filipino culture and identity (co-writer/ director Mercado is Filipino-American). One thrilling example is Raissa’s despedida (going away party) right before she plans to leave for college in the U.S. Details shown throughout the scene — like the giant banner featuring a photo of Raissa’s face and a font you commonly see in the country, the lechon (roasted pig), and an older woman’s use of “mouth pointing” to help Jo locate her friend in the crowd — scream, “yep, this story takes place in the Philippines.”
When it comes to the animation, it seems like Forgotten Island takes a page out of the same style handbook as KPop Demon Hunters, as there are scenes when the art direction breaks away from its primary style, transforming to either a “chibi” style when expressing exaggerated emotions/reactions, or changing the art style entirely, especially when it comes to the somewhat-unreliable narration from side characters.
This animated storytelling technique is important, because almost half of the story breaks the “show don’t tell” rule. After landing on Forgotten Island, Jo and Raissa, their memories of their arrival wiped, have to rely on the stories of the Forgotten Island’s residents to retrace their steps; the changes in animation help differentiate which events are true and which ones could be exaggerated. This stylistic flip only occurs when necessary for the story, which helps maintain a consistent aesthetic — and when the two girls finally fully remember what happened in the past, the payoff is those same scenes, shown again in the film’s original animation style.
Forgotten Island uses Tagalog in the dialogue, and even if you don’t know the language, you can understand the words through context clues. But there is one phrase used repeatedly: “Tayo na” (let’s go). It’s a good phrase, especially for two friends who travel together and need a confidence boost. But it gets said a lot, and at times it feels cringe or out of place, mainly due to its frequent repetition. Perhaps it was a creative choice by the filmmakers, who wanted a line that was easy for a Western audience to understand through context clues.
Forgotten Island has so many Filipino references and Easter eggs that those immersed in the culture will go “Oi! Philippines.” But the rest of the world will still understand what is going on, since it’s explained well and the context clues help the viewer follow along. So, while Forgotten Island draws on Filipino culture, a Western audience can still understand the story.
Forgotten Island also uses the full extent of Filipino mythology to create its story; its supernatural beings take inspiration from folklore from the Philippines, but are made a touch more family-friendly. Traditionally, Philippine supernatural beings are portrayed as scary creatures that will possess your body and destroy civilization when released into the human world. But in Forgotten Island, they are mostly friendly, as long as you show respect, creating a unique take on this type of storytelling. It is more of a reimagining rather than whitewashing, which is a good thing for the story — most Filipino supernatural stories share what happens when a spirit is mad, but never when they are happy and calm, so engaging with that side gives this story an interesting twist.
‘Forgotten Island’ Can Be a Bit Overpacked
The most disappointing part of Forgotten Island was the many side characters placed alongside Raissa and Jo. Their sheer density, as well as the film’s many side quests and locations, can make it feel cramped at times, which is a shame — viewers automatically want to get to know each character more or see more of this fabulous fantasy place. Just one example: later in the film, the girls meet Mermahn (Kevin McCann), a merfolk, and his role is minimal, serving only a minor plot point; he could be removed and it wouldn’t change a thing. It feels like the movie wants to cram in as many supernatural beings as it can, but it doesn’t always serve the story.
Another disappointment: Lea Salonga was severely underutilized as the Dreaded Manananggal. Why did DreamWorks get one of the biggest singers from the Philippines, but give her only a handful of lines and a bunch of grunts? One could argue that Forgotten Island pulls what Disney’s Enchanted did with Idina Menzel, who said yes to appear in the movie because there was no singing and she was flattered. But Menzel had more lines as Nancy, a side character, than Salonga did as Manananggal, Forgotten Island’s main antagonist.
What Forgotten Island did well was utilize well-known Filipino talents —and not just ones known to the younger generation, but also ones more familiar to adults, as well. Using BINI‘s “A Parallel World” as the main theme worked well, and you hear some of its musical motifs in the later parts of the story, which is a nice touch. It was a genius choice to have SB19‘s cover of “Mga Kababayan” (fellow countrymen) by Francis M play as we are introduced to the village where Raww brings Raissa and Jo, to make it clear to the viewer that the supernatural beings living there are based in Philippine mythology and will be very different compared to how they are seen in the West. It could have been great to include more OPM (Only Pilipino Music), especially older songs, since it is a celebration of culture. The movie already trusts its global audience to understand Tagalog and Filipino mythology, so why not do the same with the music? It feels like a missed opportunity to introduce international audiences to even more Filipino artists and songs.
When addressing the real-world plotline of Raissa moving to the U.S. and how it affects Jo, it’s not entirely different from what is seen in Philippine media, but it also shows the other side of wanting a better life outside the country. Traditionally, Philippine storytelling, and sometimes the culture in general, either frames staying in the country as a chance to use your talents at home, or celebrates leaving as a dream opportunity and sacrifice for a better future. What it rarely addresses is the impact leaving has on those left behind. Forgotten Island does this by acknowledging that moving to the U.S. is good for Raissa’s future while still validating Jo’s feelings of abandonment. Jo is allowed to be hurt, but Forgotten Island never suggests that Raissa should sacrifice her future for their friendship.
Forgotten Island celebrates Filipino culture and identity while telling the story of two girls whose friendship is put to the test, making that culture truly part of the story. While the film can feel crowded and some of its Tagalog dialogue feels out of place, Jo and Raissa’s friendship makes the movie work. Their conflict over leaving the Philippines, pursuing a better future, and being the person left behind makes their Filipino identity essential to their story and particularly relatable to Filipino audiences. For Western viewers, however, Forgotten Island offers a glimpse into Filipino culture through a universal story about friendship, change, and the fear of being left behind. Forgotten Island isn’t just a Filipino story because of its mythology, music, or references; it is Filipino because its culture drives the friendship at the heart of the movie.
Forgotten Island premieres in theaters on Friday, September 25, 2026.
- Release Date
-
September 25, 2026
- Runtime
-
109 Minutes
- Director
-
Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
- Writers
-
Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
- Producers
-
Mark Swift
Cast
-
-
Liza Soberano
Raissa (voice)
- Jo and Raissa share a convincing friendship that relatable.
- A new and fresh take on Philippine Mythology
- Filipino culture and identity is now a driving force rather than an Easter egg
- The amount of side characters featured makes the film feel crowded
- Lea Salonga is underutilized.
- Some Tagalog feels repetitive.
- Missed opportunity to include more OPM in the soundtrack
You must be logged in to post a comment Login