The Forgotten Island trailer is what audiences mean when they scream, “Give us original stories!” It may look like a coming-of-age story, but the premise surrounding it is anything but. It follows best friends, Jo and Raissa, played by musical artist H.E.R., and Liza Soberano (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together), respectively, who are about to graduate, with one leaving for the U.S. to attend college. Unfortunately, they wind up trapped in a fantastical world called Nakali. The clock ticks as they fight to escape. Because the longer they remain there, the more memories of their friendship they will forget. If the trailer is anything to go by, the story looks to be an emotional and joyous journey for the girls and audiences.
Written and directed by Januel Mercado (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) and Joel Crawford (The Croods: A New Age, Trolls Holiday), the trailer hooks you immediately with the catchy—if on the nose— ”Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds playing and gradually remixing as their world becomes a magical wonder. The colors in the trailer add to the vibrancy, eliciting smiles as you watch. Truthfully, their friendship’s start reminds me of the comical and unforgettable first meeting between Ellie and Carl in Up.
Dreamworks‘ Forgotten Island trailer opens with an imaginative start, using the circle of their friendship bracelet to hold clips of their childhood antics together, as charms gradually appear on the bracelet. Meanwhile, the collage of them waiting outside the school office, one relaxed, the other frowning, adds another layer, aptly showing their dynamic in the trailer. Plus, the additional cast includes Manny Jacinto (Freakier Friday, Top Gun: Maverick)?! I’m all in. I will never get over my resentment for the cancellation of The Acolyte!
What do you think of the Forgotten Island trailer? Forgotten Island hits theaters on September 25th.
