'Forgotten Island' is Almost Forgettable
Friendship is forever, or so we think. Forgotten Island is something that everyone will probably love except for me. During my screening, the audience laughed and cheered throughout the film while I sat in my seat, nearly falling unconscious from boredom. The movie is far from bad. In most cases, folks might say that it’s exceptional. Perhaps even the Academy will. After seeing other reviews and reading this article, you may not agree with me, which is perfectly fine. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. While most people will find a meaningful story about the power of friendship, I found similar themes in many animated movies that are more effective than this motion picture.
DreamWorks Animation has come a long way since its early days of ripping off Disney with Antz, then providing increasingly mediocre Shrek flicks. They’ve produced pictures like How to Train Your Dragon and The Wild Robot. Yet those films still can’t produce the emotion that Pixar cranks out. The story of Forgotten Island is familiar. Two friends in the Philippines during the 1990s are almost inseparable. Growing up together, Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) have done everything. Their relationship is captured in a sweet montage of the two growing from children into teenagers. When heading to College there’s a clear problem. Jo is developmentally behind, working a fast-food job and not thinking about the future that lies ahead of her.
Meanwhile, Raissa has been accepted into the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech). With Raissa heading to the United States and Jo being stuck at home, the two face a major moral conundrum. Stay at home, or let go of your lifelong friend. In order to grow, Raissa accepts the offer from Caltech, knowing she’ll likely never see Jo again. Lucky (or unlucky) enough for them, the two stumble upon a portal that transports them to a mystical island named Nakali, where memories fade the more time that’s spent there. The island was formed from memory, being an imaginary world the girls developed as kids that has turned into a reality. Unfortunately, they need to get back home, or else they’ll forget who each other is.
The picture's premise is unique. It’s about the importance of friendship. We hold our memories dear, but as we get older, those recollections begin to fade. We start our careers and leave our nests to explore the world. Yet, deep down, we never forget about the people who shaped our childhood. Nostalgia isn’t just something adults pursue when they’re unsatisfied with their lives. It brings us back to a time when things were simpler, and the world hadn’t beaten you down yet. Instead of warning about the dangers of being trapped in nostalgia, it shows its benefits. Nostalgia reminds us what it’s like to be happy, and it helps us pursue that feeling by recalling the things that brought us joy. These themes are effective but are haphazardly handled in this film.
Without Toy Story, Forgotten Island might have resonated a bit more. The themes in those movies are far more effective than in this film, which makes it feel a bit generic. The ideas are great. The theme of having to let go so you can move on is a powerful emotion that Toy Story 2-5 executed beautifully, leaving the entire audience crying like babies. Whether it be Woody saying goodbye to his friends or Jessie realizing she’s always been special, the movies tackle nostalgia and growth with a strong emotional anchor. In contrast, Forgotten Island is a nice addition for kids, but it offers little for adults.
Forgotten Island has a good heart, but its execution can be a bit cringy. Particularly, the jokes didn’t land. The humor is slightly clever, but it's more a few small chuckles than the huge laughs the filmmakers are aiming for. The funniest part I remember from the picture, as the movie faded from my mind while I was watching it, was the big blue character with starfish covering his nipples. The rest of the jokes are characters yelling their punchlines because apparently kids don’t laugh unless the joke is shouted at them. Even though it's under two hours, the picture can drag in the middle. The film introduces characters from the island, yet their purpose feels almost ancillary. They exist only to help get our heroes off the island. Or, in the case of the big bad memory demon, it wants to keep the girls there. A good 20 minutes could have been cut, which would have helped the movie immensely.
When the picture reaches its final act, it doesn’t hit the same emotional strings as Andy saying goodbye to Woody, or Joy watching Riley handle all the emotions that overwhelm her mind. Writers/Directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado are trying hard to make the audience cry. And perhaps some did at the theater where I saw the movie. Yet I didn’t feel a single lump in my throat or a teardrop down my eye. We’ve been to these places already with better results. Forgotten Island has potential, yet its middling second act and underwhelming execution, topped with an eye-rolling final scene, make this trip to Nakali one to forget.
