‘Forgotten Island’ Earns a Flawless Rotten Tomatoes Score, and DreamWorks May Have a New Crown Jewel

DreamWorks Animation has built a reputation on big swings, from ogres to dragons to a very stylish outlaw cat. Its latest entry, ‘Forgotten Island’, is a milestone release, the studio’s 50th animated feature. It’s also an original story inspired by Philippine mythology and culture.

The film comes from directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, who based it on their own shared Filipino heritage and their long friendship. That friendship began when they first worked together on ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’. Their previous co-directing effort, ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’, earned a 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes across 196 reviews and was a Best Animated Feature Oscar nominee.

Now they’ve topped even that. ‘Forgotten Island’ is currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes after 55 reviews. The outlet went as far as calling it one of the best rated animated films of all-time.

Early reviews have leaned heavily on the film’s energy and visuals. The Hollywood Reporter described the animation as dazzling and tremendously fast-paced, with influences ranging from anime to Studio Ghibli to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’. Refinery29 called it joyful and hilarious, and said it would bring many people to tears.

IGN framed it as a great movie about the power of the history of friendship and the shared memories we make with the people we love. Others have zeroed in on its cultural significance, calling it a vibrant celebration of friendship, dreams and Filipino culture. Not every review is unqualified, though, as one critic noted the film can get too hyper and busy for its own good.

That frenetic pacing is a recurring theme. IndieWire describes the film as a kid-friendly mash-up of ‘Superbad’, ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and ‘The Hangover’, steeped in Filipino folklore. It’s a bold pitch for a PG-rated animated adventure.

The story follows lifelong best friends Jo and Raissa in 1990s Philippines. On their last night together, before Raissa is set to leave for college in the United States, they stumble upon a mysterious portal. It transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with the magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing about from their Filipino families.

The catch is what it costs to go home. The girls discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price, so they have to race to leave the island before they forget each other forever. Along the way they face The Dreaded Manananggal, the most feared creature on Nakali.

The voice cast is stacked. Grammy-winning musician H.E.R. plays Jo and Liza Soberano voices Raissa, joined by Dave Franco as Raww, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng and Eric Bauza. Tony winner Lea Salonga voices the Manananggal.

Start making plans with your Wild Pack!! 🤜💥🤛 GET TICKETS to experience Forgotten Island only in theaters September 25. https://t.co/Kr0iloZyC7 pic.twitter.com/GJ7gP5pXCQ

— DreamWorks Animation (@Dreamworks) September 8, 2026

The film also carries historic weight. Forbes reports that it features the largest concentration of Filipino and Filipino-American talent in a major Hollywood animated film. The soundtrack reflects that, with H.E.R., Lea Salonga, SB19, BINI and Sophia Laforteza among the artists involved.

Buzz has been building for months. The film received a rapturous reception at its work-in-progress screening at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June. Crawford and Mercado have called it their most personal project yet, and they’ve cited two real-life Filipina women as inspirations for the leads.

It’s worth remembering that the number isn’t final. The critics’ score will keep updating as more reviews are posted on the site. The Popcornmeter based on verified audience ratings is also still developing.

Still, the early response is remarkable. One outlet went further, saying the film’s debut made it the highest-rated DreamWorks feature of all time, ahead of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and ‘The Wild Robot’. That claim came when the score stood at only 21 reviews, so the true test will be whether it holds.

‘Forgotten Island’ opens in US theaters on September 25, with preview screenings on September 24. It’s rated PG with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. If the reviews are any guide, families and animation fans have a new must-see.

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