FORGOTTEN ISLAND is Absolute Madness

DreamWorks has released one of the strangest, most visually creative animated movies of 2026… and there’s a good chance that it’ll be ignored by audiences. In this video, I talk about Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the filmmakers behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Set in the Philippines and heavily inspired by Filipino mythology and folklore, Forgotten Island is about two best friends who enter a magical island filled with bizarre creatures, demons, a giant bird, karaoke, anime-inspired action and a muscular merman with singing starfish covering his nipples! The movie is messy, hyperactive and occasionally exhausting, but it’s also incredibly ambitious. The animation is gorgeous, the creature designs are wonderfully bizarre, and its 2D/3D hybrid animation creates a unique style. But underneath all the madness is a simple story about friendship, growing up, moving away and trying to hold onto the people who helped shape your life. So why does it feel like this movie will go under the radar and become forgotten? And why do audiences constantly complain that Hollywood only makes sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes… while ignoring original movies when studios actually release them? Let me know your thoughts on the movie in the comments! #ForgottenIsland #DreamWorks #Animation #MovieReview #FilmReview #AnimatedMovies #DreamWorksAnimation #MovieEssay #Cinema #FilipinoMythology