As annoyingly raucous as it is psychedelically colorful, the animated adventure “Forgotten Island” (Universal) sends messages that make it inappropriate fare for impressionable viewers. Parents should also note that the film is far too frightening for little kids.
Co-writers and directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado’s screenplay chronicles the relationship between two Filipina best friends. In keeping with the script’s tendency to equate rule breaking and disrespectful misbehavior with fun, the duo first bond in school after both are sent to the principal’s office, an incident they — and the narrative — brush off nonchalantly.
Once grown, hard-studying Raissa (voice of Liza Soberano) is headed for Caltech while gifted artist Jo (voices of H.E.R.) has yet to realize her potential. The pals have been raised on tales of Nakali, the mystical isle of the title, related to them by Jo’s fun-loving, folklore-imbued grandmother, Fatima (voice of Dolly de Leon), and both have long yearned to visit Nakali.
On the eve of Raissa’s departure for the States, the pair’s shared dream comes true when a magical portal to Nakali is opened up by a glowing sand dollar Jo finds on their favorite beach. As exciting as Jo and Raissa’s sojourn on Nakali may initially be, however, their eventual effort to return home turns out to be a challenging quest.
Along the way, Jo and Raissa encounter various figures from Philippine mythology. These include Raww, a youthful were-dog (voiced by Dave Franco), Bungi (voice of Manny Jacinto), an outsized, three-eyed baby demon, as well as a souvenir-cherishing cavedweller called Batiba (voice of Jenny Slate).
Though all three of these characters are ostensibly out to aid Jo and Raissa — as, too, is a vain merman (voice of Kevin McCann) with whom they also cross paths — the true intentions of Nakali’s inhabitants are often hard to evaluate. In particular, Raissa mistrusts Raww who has trouble controlling his periodic transformations from canine to teen boy and back.
The movie’s promotion of indigenous beliefs is momentarily reinforced by a supposedly humorous interaction between Jo and an image of Jesus. Her request for him to help her goes stonily unanswered — and, unlike the beings who populate Nakali, he is shown to be essentially inanimate.
Other ingredients that make “Forgotten Island” unsuitable for youngsters are typified by Raww’s fondness for marking his territory by urinating on trees, a procedure one of the female visitors to Nakali inadvertently witnesses in one scene. Raww also tells his newfound friends about “roshambo,” a sort of game in which men take turns assaulting each other’s “junk.”
Thus, while the picture’s principal theme about the importance of preserving memories is respectable enough, it also includes a number of less innocuous elements. Teens and grown-ups can assess such material maturely but whether their endeavor to do so will be rewarded by an enjoyable experience at the Cineplex is another question.
The film contains brief irreverent sight gags, much scatological humor and imagery, including a few scenes of implied urination, fleeting sexual and anatomical references, a couple of mild oaths and occasional crass language. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
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