Currently only in theaters
Runtime: 1 Hour and 49 Minutes
Rated PG
"You don't find the Forgotten Island; it finds you."
In 1990s Philippines, best friends Jo and Raissa spend one final night together before their lives take two very different paths. One is headed to California for college, while the other is staying behind to work at the local fried chicken shack. But their bittersweet farewell takes a fantastical turn when a magical sand dollar necklace transports them to Nakali, a mystical world they had only dreamed was real.
Then, suddenly, everything goes blank.
The next thing they know, they're waking up on a mysterious beach with no memory of how they got there or what happened the night before. Their only clues? A strangely affectionate bird, a collection of mysterious accessories they don't remember acquiring, and a weredog who insists they spent the previous night together touring the island and partying.
With no memory of their adventures and no idea whom to trust, Jo and Raissa must piece together their forgotten footsteps with the help of the strange creatures they've encountered before, even though they don’t remember them. To find their way home, they'll need to recover the missing sand dollar necklace, outwit a relentless demon stalking their every move, and unravel the mysteries of Nakali before it's too late.
But as their journey grows increasingly dangerous, the greatest challenge may not be escaping this magical world. It may be discovering whether their friendship is strong enough to survive an adventure neither of them can remember.
Themes:
Friendship, memories, Philippine mythology and folklore, loss, biological family and found family, stories, the future, college, items with memories attached to them, making your way in the world, amounting to something, dreams, trading, stealing, deals, selfishness, sacrifice, regreats, magic, honesty, demons, magic, and “going full dog.”
Language:
Bung Hole - 2 D*mn - 1 Dang - 3 Flipping - 2 Freaking - 1 Heck -2 Hella - 3 Piss - 1 Screw it - 1 Sucks - 0 Religious Exclamation - 3
One of the religious exclamations is Jesus’ name in Spanish.
There is a very brief scene from Predator where Arnold says, “you son of a ….” but the line gets lost because of a noise that is made. later this scene is heard, but the bad word again gets drowned out.
Stuff to be aware of: (Some of this is considered spoiler territory, but I try to keep things ambiguous)
Alcohol and Drugs - None
Gross - A character shoots fire from her bottom. This leaves a burnt mark on her pants.
A demon baby gets his umbilical cord cut.
A character gets pink eye.
A tattoo looks infected.
A character pukes.
LGBTQ - None
Scary - The characters are constantly pursued by a female demon in the movie named Manang. She is based on Ananaggal from Philippine folklore.
Manang may appear in the trailers, but they barely scratch the surface of just how terrifying she truly is. She can split her body in half, separating her torso from her legs in a gruesome display of what initially looks like dangling organs but is actually a swirling mass of mist and smoke. She crawls, flies, and walks in deeply unnatural ways, twisting her arms, neck, and head into disturbing positions reminiscent of the most unsettling ghosts in modern horror films. Her threats of tearing humans in half, combined with her sinister appearance and seething anger, make her a genuinely frightening presence. She is easily one of the creepiest animated monsters I have ever seen.
A pair of wings with monster-looking hands holds onto the shoulders of a character for most of the movie.
What looks like a small zombie explodes from a chest and appears to attack characters, this scene is short and changes quickly.
One of the main characters is a baby demon who, when he gets angry, his eyes go dark, and his horns get longer. This is done in an anime style to show his anger.
Sexual - There are a few butt cheeks shown, a man-dog who pees on everything, and some choice words you may want to be aware of.
A naked baby picture of a human character is shown; only her butt is seen.
A character dances around and sings “I Like Big Butts,” but gets cut off right before she sings the word “sprung.”
A human character has burn marks on the butt of her pants because she farts fire.
Characters look through photos, and one says, “Is that a butt?”
The word nards is used multiple times. A character gets kicked in the “nards.”
A male character says a female vampire “came on to me.”
A minotaur with nipple rings talks about having one stolen. The stolen ring is covered by a bandage. The other nipple still has its ring.
A little mushroom man shows his burnt butt cheeks.
A merman has singing starfish that cover his nipples.
An anthropomorphic dog pees on multiple things, and several times characters talk about how he “marks” places and things.
A male character says a female character is “hot.”
A story is told about how a female human has to choose to be with a merman or a dogman. A woman wants her to choose the dogman and a man wants her to choose the merman.
Violence/Gore - There is more violence threatened or discussed than actually takes place
A girl jumps a boy who is making fun of her and tries to make him listen to what she is saying.
A creature that is talked about is mentioned to disembowel her prey, can cut herself in half, and eats people.
A girl pulls out a switchblade, shows it to another girl, and mentions making their friendship official. The second girl says, “I don’t do blood oaths.” The first girl with the knife responds, “I’m not a psycho.”
A bad demon sneaks up on a little bird and is about to slice it with her claws. The scene changes and blue blood-looking liquid sprays on characters’ faces. The scene changes again, and the demon has the bird’s feathers hanging from her mouth.
A character is mentioned to “feast on their corpses.”
Religion - A photo of Jesus is seen a few times, and a character talks to the photo briefly.
Other - At the start of the movie, there is a character that is a bully and calls Jo and Raissa names.
There are photos of two characters with a mallet and what looks like a railroad spike. They are giving each other tattoos. These tattoos are a running gag. They can easily be seen multiple times on characters. One character’s looks very painful and possibly infected.
Overall:
Seeing It With Your Family
The biggest things parents should know before watching Forgotten Island with their families are the terrifying demon Manang, some questionable language, and plenty of gross-out humor.
Manang, whom I described in detail above, can also be seen in the trailers. While older kids may shrug off her creepy appearance and disturbing movements, she could be genuinely frightening for younger viewers.
Although the movie contains only one actual curse word (which was majorly unnecessary), there are plenty of other words and expressions parents may not want their kids repeating. Words like "screwed," "dang," "fricking," "hella," "piss," and "nards" are used throughout the film. There's even a game (that is only explained) in which participants take turns kicking each other in the nards. Yes, you read that correctly.
Finally, be sure to check out the sexual content and gross-out humor sections above. Between the butt jokes, vomit, pink eye, and several other moments of crude humor, Forgotten Island certainly isn't afraid to get a little disgusting.
My biggest caution for parents is Manang. The language and gross humor may earn a few eye rolls, but her unsettling appearance and frightening behavior could be a bit much for younger or more sensitive children.
What I Thought
I went into Forgotten Island not really knowing what to expect, but by the time the credits rolled, I was glad I had taken the trip! I would even put this one in contention for the best animated film of the year (I'm not counting Coyote vs. Acme since it's a live-action/animation hybrid). It's creative, delightfully quirky, and filled with colorful characters, but what makes it work so well is how it keeps a few meaningful themes at the heart of its wonderfully bizarre adventure.
One of the film's most creative storytelling devices is a charm bracelet that gives us glimpses into the memories that have shaped Jo and Raissa's friendship over the years. These little moments establish the emotional foundation of the story, and the movie continues to build upon it in some surprisingly clever ways. At its heart, Forgotten Island explores the power of friendship, how our differences can make our relationships even more special, and how those relationships inevitably evolve as we grow older and our lives take different paths.
What impressed me most is how naturally these themes are woven into practically every aspect of the movie. From the characters Jo and Raissa encounter to the mysteries they uncover, everything seems to serve a larger purpose. Whether it's a baby demon having his umbilical cord "cut" by his mother, the surprising motivations behind an evil demon, or the twists and revelations along the way, the story continually circles back to friendship, discovering and using our unique talents, and learning to embrace change. It all works together like a well-oiled machine without ever feeling forced or overly preachy.
What I really didn't expect was just how wonderfully weird this movie would be! In some ways, it reminded me of experiencing Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, or a Studio Ghibli movie for the first time. There's that same sense of stepping into an imaginative world where you have absolutely no idea what strange creature or bizarre situation might be waiting around the next corner.
Much of that freshness comes from the film's rich collection of Filipino myths, folklore, and legendary creatures passed down through generations across the Philippine archipelago. If you're like me, this is a world of mythology you probably know very little about. At least to my knowledge, Hollywood hasn't explored these stories nearly as much as it has Greek mythology or traditional European fantasy. You probably won't know what a kapre, aswang, or batibat is going into the movie, and that's part of the fun! Rather than bogging everything down with lengthy explanations, the filmmakers introduce these creatures naturally through the story and the characters' interactions. You learn about them as Jo and Raissa do, which makes each new encounter feel like another discovery.
And that's exactly what this movie needs. Its unusual creatures, imaginative character designs, and unexpected surprises give Forgotten Island a personality all its own. Instead of recycling the same mythological monsters and fantasy creatures we've seen countless times, the film introduces audiences to a fascinating world of folklore that feels genuinely fresh.
For all its wonderfully strange creatures and outrageous humor, the most magical part of Forgotten Island is how everything ultimately comes together. Every character, mystery, twist, and revelation not only reinforces the film's central themes but also reveals something about the island itself and the importance of our memories.
The movie explores both the memories we carry in our minds and those we attach to the objects we cherish. A simple keepsake can hold an entire lifetime of experiences, reminding us of the people we've loved, the friendships we've built, and the moments that have shaped who we are. Sometimes, those memories become our only remaining connection to someone we've lost or someone whose life has taken them far away from us.
And I'll admit it: by the end, I may have shed a tear.
What's particularly impressive is how much the writers and animators accomplish in a movie that's only a little over an hour and a half long. Despite its relatively short runtime, I found myself genuinely invested in Jo and Raissa and rooting for their friendship. By the end, you want nothing more than to see these two remain friends for life, even as growing up threatens to send them in completely different directions.
That's where the movie really shines. Beneath all the fantastical creatures, colorful animation, and bizarre adventures is a surprisingly heartfelt story about growing up, finding your own path, appreciating the people who have shaped your life, and accepting that even the closest friendships will change over time. The movie takes these familiar themes and presents them in a way that feels both imaginative and emotionally satisfying.
Forgotten Island certainly won't be for everyone. Its quirky humor, unusual characters, and occasionally bizarre storytelling might be a little too much for some viewers. But I found myself thoroughly enjoying the adventure, and now that I know how everything comes together, I'm already looking forward to watching it again. I have a feeling there are plenty of little details, clues, and meaningful moments I missed the first time around.
I went in expecting a strange adventure on a forgotten island. I left with a reminder that the people and memories we carry with us are what make life's adventures worth remembering.