Forgotten Island opened in North American theaters Friday with a 96% Tomatometer score from 69 reviews, giving DreamWorks Animation an unusually strong critical launch for an original film. Directed and written by Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado, the fantasy follows lifelong friends Jo and Raissa through a portal to Nakali, an island populated by creatures drawn from stories they heard in their Filipino families. Their route home carries a severe cost: they may have to surrender the memories of their friendship. The film’s theatrical arrival turns a long-running question about its reception into a measurable result, while early audience attention begins to test whether critical enthusiasm can translate into commercial momentum.
The reviews share praise for the film’s ambition more often than they agree on its execution. Rotten Tomatoes showed 66 positive reviews and three negative ones Friday morning, with an average rating of 7.9 out of 10. TheWrap described an energetic mix of animation styles, irreverent humor and a sturdy emotional center, while also arguing that the film can become overwhelming. Other critics highlighted the specificity of its Filipino mythology and the bond between its two heroines. The Guardian offered a much harsher assessment, objecting to the pace and emotional effect. That dissent helps explain why a very high aggregate score does not mean uniform acclaim: the percentage tracks how many reviews are positive, not the intensity of each rating.
Kalshi’s review-score market repriced as the count accumulated. Its forecast stood near 94.8%, below the visible 96% score. The contract for a final score above 94 traded near 74%, while above 95 was around 46% and above 96 around 14%. The above-95 contract had fallen roughly 44 points from its previous price, and the event recorded about $96,000 in latest-day activity on approximately $349,000 in total volume. Those contracts depend on the market’s specified final count and resolution rules; they are not predictions of box-office revenue or audience enjoyment. Their sharp movement reflects the narrow difference between finishing at 95, 96 or 97 as additional reviews arrive.
The release is also a test of demand for large-scale animation built around new characters rather than an established franchise. Crawford and Mercado have framed the story around friendship, memory and cultural authenticity, and the movie’s imagery draws on Filipino folklore within a contemporary studio production. A high opening score gives exhibitors and families a clear quality signal, but the next indicators will be audience ratings, weekend ticket sales and whether later reviews hold the percentage near its debut level. For the review market, every added critic can matter when the score sits close to multiple thresholds. For DreamWorks, the larger question is whether strong notices can help an original fantasy compete in a marketplace where sequels and familiar brands often carry the opening weekend.
