Director Joel Crawford took to social media to celebrate the strong early reception of Forgotten Island after the DreamWorks Animation film debuted with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Incredibly proud of our cast and crew and the film we made. We all can’t wait to finally share it with the world this week! Tayo na!" he posted on his Instagram page.
As of Monday, September 21 (PH time), Forgotten Island holds a 100% Tomatometer score based on 20 reviews as of this writing.
Fans online were quick to react to his post.
"Congrats Team @forgottenislandmovie," one fan commented.
"Congratulations to the entire team... you guys are all awesome," another fan said.
Set for release in Philippine cinemas on September 23, Forgotten Island follows best friends Jo and Raissa, who are transported through a mysterious portal to the fantastical island of Nakali, where they encounter magical and mythological creatures inspired by Filipino folklore.
Joel co-directed the movie with Filipino-American filmmaker Januel Mercado.
READ: Here in Hollywood: Inside 'Forgotten Island' screening, after-party
In an earlier interview with Variety, Joel spoke about their approach to incorporating Filipino culture into the story in a way that felt natural and authentic.
“When we’re writing the characters, we’re writing them how real people speak and interact and cut each other off. It’s that same level of respect for the audience in the craft that we just took into Filipino culture, where we immerse the audience into a real world and dynamic of characters, and you don’t need to explain. It feels real because we’re not pandering, and we’re not forcing anything," he said.
When it comes to the movie’s animation style, Joel said the team drew inspiration from a mix of Filipino culture, 1990s aesthetics, and street style to create a distinct visual identity.
“Everything has a place, and you use it all. It’s so saturated and vibrant, and pulling off of these organic inspirations from Filipino culture to the ’90s aesthetic, and even a street style that has an edginess that comes across. We put all that together, and it becomes a specific new voice in terms of animation," he shared.