top of page

Subscribe to our newsletter • Don’t miss out!

Search
Is Forgotten Island Okay for Kids? A Christian Parent Review

Is Forgotten Island Okay for Kids? A Christian Parent Review

Writer: Boundless Team
Boundless Team
2 days ago
6 min read
Watercolor painting of a family seen from behind, snuggled together on a cozy couch under a knit blanket with a bowl of popcorn and a softly glowing TV, with an open Bible and two mugs on the coffee table in a warm lamplit living room at twilight.

By Boundless Writing Team and Dr. Layne McDonald

The short answer

Forgotten Island is rated PG, and it has a genuinely lovely message about friendship. But it is much scarier and spiritually darker than the bright, colorful trailers suggest. For most families, it is a better fit for older kids (roughly 10 and up) and teens than for little ones, and it is best watched with a parent close by who is ready to talk about what Scripture says about the spiritual world. If your child is sensitive to scary scenes or monsters, you may want to wait.

Maybe your kids saw the trailer and have been begging, and now you are trying to decide. We are glad you are asking. Wanting to guard your children's hearts is not being uptight. It is love. So let's walk through it together, friend, with a lot of grace.

What is Forgotten Island about?

Forgotten Island is an animated movie from DreamWorks Animation, distributed by Universal Pictures. It opened in theaters on September 25, 2026, and is still playing this month. It is rated PG for "animated sequences of scary action, language, rude humor, thematic elements, some violence and brief tobacco imagery," according to the movie details listed by Common Sense Media. It runs just under two hours.

According to the official DreamWorks movie page, it comes from the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, with H.E.R. and Liza Soberano voicing best friends Jo and Raissa.

The story is set in the Philippines in the 1990s. Jo and Raissa have been best friends since grade school. Now they have graduated, and Raissa is about to move to America for college. On their last night together, they stumble through a mysterious portal to Nakali, an island full of creatures from the Filipino folklore they grew up hearing about. The catch is that the island steals memories. To get home, the girls have to face the island's most feared creature, a winged, vampire-like demon called the Manananggal, and race to leave before they forget each other forever.

Positive elements

There is real good here, and it is worth naming. At its heart, this is a story about a friendship worth fighting for. Jo and Raissa love each other, push each other to grow, and stick together when things get hard. Reviewers at both Plugged In (Focus on the Family's review site) and Common Sense Media point to that friendship as the movie's strongest message.

According to Plugged In's review, Jo makes a selfish choice because she is afraid of losing her friend, but she later apologizes and makes a sacrificial choice for Raissa. That is a great doorway into a conversation about the kind of friendship the Bible celebrates: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" (Proverbs 17:17, NIV). And Jesus showed us the deepest kind: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13, NIV).

The film also has a loving grandmother, Lola, celebrates Filipino culture and family, and carries a theme about treasuring good memories. That memory theme lines up beautifully with Scripture, which tells us again and again to remember God's goodness: "Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Psalm 103:2, NIV).

Spiritual content

This is the section most Christian parents will want to read slowly. The island of Nakali is filled with spirits, demons, and monsters drawn from Filipino folklore. Some are played for laughs and look almost cuddly. Plugged In describes a furry, cat-like memory demon who trades for people's memories, and notes that nearly everyone on the island lies to or betrays the girls. The Manananggal, on the other hand, is truly frightening, and both reviews single her out as especially scary.

Here is where a gracious, biblical conversation can really help. As Pentecostal believers, we take the spiritual world seriously. The Bible teaches that evil spiritual forces are real: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). Scripture also warns that evil does not always look scary. "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14, NIV). A cute demon who lies is a pretty good picture of how temptation works, and a great talking point with older kids.

But here is the good news we never want our kids to miss: they do not need to live afraid. "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4, NIV). Jesus has all authority, and those who belong to Him are safe in Him. If this movie sparks questions, that is an opportunity to point your children to Jesus.

Content concerns

Here is a quick rundown based on the detailed reviews from Plugged In and Common Sense Media. Read their full reviews for specifics.

  • Violence and scariness: This is the biggest concern. The Manananggal chases and attacks the girls, throws fire, and is described in the film as a killer of the island's residents. Her body separates at the waist and comes back together. There is also plenty of cartoon slapstick. Common Sense Media notes she is likely to frighten smaller children.

  • Language: Mild but present. Both reviews list words like "damn" and "hell," along with crude terms such as "nards" and "piss."

  • Sexual content: Light, but some parents will notice it. Reviewers mention a joke involving a nipple ring, a muscular merman with starfish over his chest, and some focus on bare bottoms played for laughs.

  • Other: Lots of potty humor (including fire coming out of both ends after spicy food), a dog-boy who pees on everything, frequent lying, and an act of payback against a bully that a grown-up helps with instead of correcting.

Plugged In concluded that most parents may want to keep tweens and younger kids away from this one, while Common Sense Media rates it for ages 8 and up. Families will land in different places, and that is okay. You know your children best.

So should your family watch it?

Paul reminds us that freedom and wisdom go together: "not everything is beneficial" (1 Corinthians 10:23, NIV). He also gives us a wonderful filter for everything we put in our minds. He tells us to fix our thoughts on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable" and to "think about such things" (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

Here are a few simple questions to ask before you buy tickets:

  • How does my child handle scary images? If nightmares are common in your house, this one can probably wait.

  • Will I be there to talk afterward? This is a movie you watch with your kids, not one you drop them off for.

  • Have I prayed about it? "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5, NIV).

Already saw it, and now you have a scared little one at bedtime? You are not a bad parent. Pray with your child and give them a simple verse like "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (Psalm 56:3, NIV).

Family discussion questions

  • Jo and Raissa stick together even when life is changing. What makes a really good friend? Read Proverbs 17:17 together.

  • Jo made a selfish choice because she was afraid of losing her friend. Have you ever done something wrong because you were afraid? What does Ephesians 4:32 say about forgiving each other?

  • Some of the creatures on the island looked cute but told lies. Why do you think the Bible warns that evil can look harmless? Read 2 Corinthians 11:14.

  • Were any parts of the movie scary for you? Who is stronger than anything scary? Read 1 John 4:4 and pray together.

  • The island tried to take away good memories. What are some good things God has done for our family that we never want to forget? Read Psalm 103:2.

  • Paul says, "I thank my God every time I remember you" (Philippians 1:3, NIV). Who is a friend you can thank God for this week?

Grace for the journey

None of us gets every movie night right. The goal is not perfection. It is staying close to your kids and close to Jesus. He says, "Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15, NIV). He will not forget your family either.

Your next steps

Scripture quotations are from the New International Version (NIV).

Comments

bottom of page
Choose Language