Forgotten Island review: DreamWorks delivers an epic adventure for weirdos

It wasn't until Forgotten Island that I understood that Dave Franco was put on this earth to play a weredog screw-up named Raww.

Make no mistake, the voice-casting of DreamWorks' latest animated adventure is absolutely flawless.

R&B singer H.E.R. lending her voice to a high-energy chaos-curator called Jo, Liza Soberano as Jo's straight-laced bestie Raissa, Manny Jacinto as a momma-obsessed demon baby, Jenny Slate as the memory-collecting Batiba, Dolly de Leon as a karaoke-loving lola (grandmother), Ronny Chieng as a furious ruler of the adorable Duwende — all perfection.

But Franco's raspy enthusiasm, previously channeled into a variety of lovable dummies from Neighbors to Together to Idiots, is brilliantly distilled as Raww, a boy who can't control his shapeshifting, and who, at the sight of a stick, can't resist going "full dog." And I'm elated to say this is just one of the wacky, wonderful treasures in Forgotten Island, a friendship comedy/road trip adventure that's sure to thrill kids and grown-ups alike.

Forgotten Island is a rollicking, imaginative adventure.

Credit: DreamWorks Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel P.

Mercado, Forgotten Island is a celebration of friendship, Filipino culture and '80s/'90s American radio.

Its story begins in the Philippines, where Jo Yuson is new to school, and making a big impression with her family history project.

Instead of your standard family tree illustration, she's created an elaborate projector display about Nakali, a fantasy island where demons roam, including the dreaded Manananggal — a vampire who can fly and split into two to better conquer her prey.

While most of her peers snark at Jo's island, bespectacled Raissa is enchanted.

Using her advanced understanding of aerodynamics to defend Jo's description of the Manananggal, she ends up at the principal's office with her.

There, a lifelong friendship between wonderful misfits is formed, which will be marked by a charm bracelet, bedecked with mementos of slumber parties, recognizing the glory of Predator, karaoke, and other shenanigans.

However, as college approaches, Raissa is readying to travel to the U.S. to continue her education, while Jo is utterly lost and barely employed.

It's on their last night together that they tumble unexpectedly into Nakali.