DreamWorks’ latest film is a zippy, visually stunning ride through Philippine mythology and folklore, as well as a layered contemplation on the role of memory and identity in our relationships.
Content Warning: This review contains minor spoilers for Forgotten Island.
Forgotten Island marks the first Hollywood full-length feature film to center on Philippine cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation.Go to Culture Glossary, namely its mythology and folklore. It’s not fair to expect it to be a “perfect” representation of the Philippines, but it certainly delivers on many fronts, giving us a story that offers the fast-paced, insane, zippy humor of The Hangover with the more poignant themes and tropes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, mixed with breathtaking reinterpretations of myths exchanged between lolas and lolos, titas and titos.
If that sounds kind of wild, that’s because it is. In a cesspool of sequels and franchises, an artfully-executed original film fueled by a sincere, wholehearted love for a country and its cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation.Go to Culture Glossary is something worth spreading the good word about.
READ ALSO: How A Country’s Myths And Folklore Bring Its Culture To The Global Spotlight
How Forgotten Island Breathes New Life Into Old Stories
The great thing about mythology and folklore is that there’s no “true” version of these tales, simply iterations molded to be understood by one generation and the next. We were, after all, a country of oral traditions—and in many ways, we still are. Think of all the times you’ve heard about the tikbalang and kapre, tiyanak and manananggal, duwende and diwata, and notice how no two stories are quite alike, one relative talking about a firsthand account, the other retelling a story that’s been passed down from their family, events shifting while the heart of it remains.
Forgotten Island mimics this act of retelling, reinvigorating the familiar with fresh, vibrant character designs and show-stopping animation that breathes new life into creatures you thought you knew. The tiyanak gets an update with a giant, three-eyed man baby look; kapre are towering tree-esque beings; duwende look more like cereal mascots, designed like tiny mushrooms despite their ferocity, a recurring comedic element of the film; and even lesser known Philippine creatures like the “weredog” aswang (who resembles a cute aspin bearing the voice of James Franco), batibat (a female, tree-dwelling spirit responsible for nocturnal death or bangungot by sitting on a person’s chest and invading their dreams), and sireno (a hilariously gaudy character whose transformation adds to the film’s levity).
If we’re talking about some of the film’s most spectacular designs, I’d personally give them to the antagonist manananggal (a terrifyingly fun vocal performance by Lea Salonga), whose spine-chilling movements and otherworldly beauty create a compelling combination that’s fittingly both majestic and grotesque; as well as the sarimanok, a turbo-charged creature that offers an exciting take on the rainbow, rooster-esque bird of Maranao legend.
The Details Of A Culture
Some might say the Filipino’s love for karaoke, and other cultural details like that particular Jesus Christ photo plastered on the walls of many homes (if you know, you know) or a lechon present in every celebration feel like stereotypes, yet behind all of these images are slivers of truth. What I found most touching about Forgotten Island was seeing our country’s idiosyncrasies animated with a fondness that can only be taken from the lived experiences of its filmmakers. It’s surreal to think of how far-reaching Filipino cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation.Go to Culture Glossary has become with films like this.
Whether it’s a nod to famous fast-food franchise Jollibee, the habit of pointing with one’s lips to give directions, hanging an endearingly ostentatious tarpaulin of someone’s academic milestone by the gate, or even the absurd ways relatives deviate from the main topic of conversation during reunions, these little things aren’t inconsequential. They’re tributes to a world Filipinos know well, and gateways to the things that comprise our expansive identities for foreigners.
As a graduate of an all-girls’ Catholic school, even the scenes of a classroom with students gathered around an overhead projector (OHP), its familiar acetate covered in colorful marker scribbles, were a pleasant delight that brought me back to my grade school days.
Two Girls, A Dream, And One Wild Night
Behind all the jokes, colors, and energetic animation is the beating heart of the story: the friendship between its main protagonists, Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), both of whom feel like three-dimensional characters with motivations and pains that might strike an emotional chord with anyone grappling with change in their relationships, whether they’re the ones who feel left behind (or fear they might be), or the ones doing the evolving and moving.
The film begins with the start of their friendship, Jo’s lola Fatima (voiced by Dolly de Leon) the person who ties the two girls together through her stories of Philippine myth and folklore, cultivating their imaginations and encouraging them to go searching for the magical land she once visited: Nakalimutan. That becomes a shared dream even as the best friends sail through the rocky waters of their bond when their motivations and needs begin to diverge.
As its name suggests, Nakalimutan—the film’s namesake Forgotten Island—is a place that orbits around the concept of memory, something salient in the context of Filipino cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation.Go to Culture Glossary, even beyond the plot itself.
Forgotten Island On What It Means To Remember
The film is something best experienced, but a short summary of its central conflict is this: Jo and Raissa finally encounter the portal to Nakalimutan on what’s supposed to be their final evening together as Raissa prepares to study in America. They jump in to fulfill their childhood dream, and what ensues is a bender of an evening they can’t remember, their memories taken from them. The two attempt to retrace their steps in order to get home, only for the island to reveal uncomfortable yet necessary truths about themselves and their friendship.
Memory plays an integral part in making this friendship a real emotional stake. It’s what Jo clings to because it’s all she has left, the spirit of her bond with Raissa and her lola. Raissa, meanwhile, takes it for granted before later realizing just how much she stands to lose when she forgets what matters, including the seemingly inconsequential memories that make up who she is and what Jo means to her.
This act of remembering, and the power of collective memory, also runs through the film’s focus on mythology and folklore. As new generations of Filipinos grow up, whether in the Philippines or overseas, refreshing and passing down our cultural narratives is more important than ever.
Urbanization, technology, globalization: with all these factors, it’s easy to forget that we have a rich well of old stories, ones that reflect what mattered to all those who came before us, whether that was a reverence for the natural world through animist beliefs or a deep respect for familial bonds. When we forget these stories, we can very easily lose ourselves. The same goes for the political amnesia that runs rampant: to forget the past is to forget an essential part of our lived experience, which is necessary if we’re to figure out where to go next as a nation.
That seems to be one of the film’s core messages. Forgotten Island isn’t asking us to remember things flawlessly, but to hold onto the truths and emotions behind them, because they’re ultimately what give meaning to the relationships, values, and ideas that make us who we are.
All photos courtesy of Universal Studios Philippines
Frequently Asked Questions
Forgotten Island follows best friends Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), who finally encounter the portal to Nakalimutan on what’s supposed to be their final evening together. They enter the magical island to fulfill their childhood dream, only to have their memories taken from them and be forced to retrace their steps to find their way home. Along the way, Nakalimutan reveals uncomfortable yet necessary truths about themselves and their friendship.
Forgotten Island offers fresh reinterpretations of familiar Philippine mythology and folklore creatures, including the tiyanak, kapre, duwende, aswang, batibat, sireno, manananggal, and sarimanok. The film gives these creatures vibrant new character designs and show-stopping animation, from the giant, three-eyed man baby tiyanak to the towering, tree-esque kapre and the turbo-charged sarimanok.
Forgotten Island fills its world with details drawn from Filipino life, including karaoke, Jollibee, pointing with one’s lips to give directions, academic milestone tarpaulins, lechon at celebrations, and the familiar Jesus Christ photo found in many homes. The film also includes details like classrooms with overhead projectors and colorful marker-covered acetate, giving its portrayal of Filipino culture a fondness rooted in the lived experiences of its filmmakers.
The main protagonists of Forgotten Island are Jo, voiced by H.E.R., and Raissa, played by Liza Soberano. Their friendship is at the heart of the story, with both characters portrayed as three-dimensional figures with their own motivations and pains. Jo’s lola also plays an important role in their friendship, connecting the two girls through stories of Philippine mythology and folklore and encouraging them to search for the magical land of Nakalimutan.
Memory is central to Forgotten Island, both through Jo and Raissa’s friendship and the mythology and folklore at the heart of the film. Jo clings to memory because it represents her bond with Raissa and her lola, while Raissa comes to realize how much she stands to lose when she forgets what matters. The film ultimately explores the power of collective memory and the importance of holding onto the truths and emotions behind our stories, because they give meaning to the relationships, values, and ideas that make us who we are.
