Forgotten Island review – best friends forever trapped in frantic DreamWorks animation

DreamWorks Animation's latest offering, "Forgotten Island," has been met with a critical assessment that highlights its "over-controlled adventure" and a pervasive sense of frantic, "AI-type content production." The review posits that this approach, while not exclusive to animation, tends to "predominate" in the medium, resulting in a "soulless blitzkrieg" that sacrifices character depth for relentless energy. The film's narrative is set in the Philippines during the 1990s, a pre-social media era, and centers on the burgeoning friendship between two lonely teenagers, Jo and Raissa. Jo, brought to life by the voice of R&B star HER, is depicted as a highly imaginative but academically troubled adolescent. Her journey is guided by a wise grandmother, a trope reminiscent of Disney's "Moana," who instills in Jo a sense of ancestral destiny and shares captivating tales of her culture, identity, and the mythical "forgotten island of Nakali." Jo's confidante, Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano, is characterized as her intellectual equal, possessing a sharp mind and a more focused academic discipline, yet sharing Jo's underlying loneliness. The film's plot is noted for its peculiar resemblance to "The Hangover," albeit in a vastly different thematic and stylistic context, suggesting a narrative structure that prioritizes rapid progression over contemplative moments.

The core criticism leveled against "Forgotten Island" is its unyielding pace, described as a movie that "never takes a breath or a moment to let its characters come to life." This relentless momentum, coupled with a "stroboscopically over-energised" visual style, is seen as a significant impediment to genuine character development and emotional connection. The reviewer contrasts this with the world of Japanese anime, suggesting that while "Forgotten Island" may superficially ape its visual dynamism, it lacks the inherent capacity for nuanced character portrayal and moments of quiet reflection that often define superior animated storytelling. The film's "over-determined" execution, where every element seems meticulously controlled to maintain a high-octane experience, ultimately detracts from its potential to resonate with audiences on a deeper level. The review implies that the film's creators prioritized a constant barrage of visual and narrative stimuli over allowing the audience to truly engage with the characters' inner lives or the story's inherent emotional potential, leading to an exhausting rather than an engaging viewing experience.