Bring your family and friends to see The Legend of Ochi was essentially how my screening invitation was written. This wasn’t a film on my radar but it doesn’t have to be to pique my interest (sometimes it doesn’t go so well, though). But as I usually do, I watch the trailer and decide if it’s of interest to me and if I think it might be of interest to my audience.
Why I Went to See ‘The Legend of Ochi’
Here’s the truth: it wasn’t a movie that got me super excited. From the trailer, it looked like a reboot of Gremlins. From the description, I could feel a hero’s journey perhaps:
“In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as Ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby Ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.”
So what drew me to this film and got me to drag along my kid (now an 18 year old with just as many opinions as his mom)? The production company, A24 Films.
What You Should Know about the Production Company
If you’re not familiar with A24 Films, they make indie-type films that are, at best, thought-provoking, and at worst, unsettling. These are not Marvel movies (thank God). They are dark, cinematic films often tinged with unlikely subjects like religion and folklore.
Here are some recent A24 films you might be familiar with: Ex Machina, Lady Bird, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Midsommar, Heretic, and Civil War. If you’ve seen any of those, I’m hoping I’m setting the stage for the vibe that we have going in to see The Legend of Ochi.
My Take on ‘The Legend of Ochi’
The film dives right into action as we meet Yuri, a young girl living somewhere in a non-descript region of the Carpathian Mountains. She’s part of a hunting party along with her father (Willem Dafoe) and adopted brother (Finn Wolfhard). We quickly learn that the ochi are a species of predatory primate-like creatures that have become the enemies of humans in the area, wreaking havoc on local livestock.
And that’s mostly where the action ends. It’s slow and it’s dark and the dialogue is often difficult to hear. But the biggest issue is there’s no real character development for our hero, Yuri. We don’t learn enough about her in the beginning to understand her relationship with her father or her “brother” or her estranged mother. And suddenly we’re taken on a journey with her and the young Ochi she has found.
She’s been taught her whole life to hate the Ochi and suddenly, when confronted by a young one, she quickly and easily befriends it. And then, although she discovers it close to home, she heads out on an extremely long and treacherous journey to take it back to its family. Where she’s heading and why, the audience never understands.
Along the way, she meets her estranged mother which only adds to the confusion about her relationships within her family. And she also discovers a new skill which she finds connects her with the Ochi.
There are definitely story issues. Big story issues. And yet, I still enjoyed the film. While the story needed more work, the dark Scandanavian vibe (it was actually shot in Romania) sets a hauntingly romantic air for the film. And I loved the Ochi. Let’s talk about why.
Finally, A Film That Moves Beyond the Green Screen
One of my biggest gripes about modern day moviemaking is the overuse of CGI and green screens. I especially find CGI animals particularly distracting (I’m looking at you, Call of the Wild) and can’t stand movies that use them simply for the “cute factor” (I’m looking at you, porgs). The Ochi was neither and here’s why.
This film was directed by Isaiah Saxon, creator of the animation studio, Encyclopedia Pictura. According to Saxon, “all close and medium shots of the Ochi are animatronics, puppetry, and suit performers, while wider stunt shots are 3d animation.” They used puppets (did you know that BB8 was also a puppet?) and it makes all the difference.
While it’s difficult to make a fantasy-style film without some CGI, this movie used it to augment the film, not create it. Instead, the viewer is immersed in the location and is drawn to the Ochi in the same way Yuri is. That alone is a breath of fresh air in this otherwise dark environment.
If you’re looking at possibly making this your next family movie, here’s a quick note you’ll want to read.
Is ‘The Legend of Ochi’ a kids movie?
I’ve given you my adult take. If you’re a cinema buff or tend to enjoy A24 films, this is an interesting movie to put on your list. But if you’re looking for a family-friendly kids movie, this ain’t it.
While older kids (late elementary and up) might enjoy it, the pace is much slower than modern movies and kids might not have the patience for it. While the dialogue is minimal, there are also subtitles at some point so you’ll definitely need to be able to read.
Overall Review
Dark, intense, confusing with minimal dialogue. At times, cute but not cloying. Visually beautiful and interesting with a somewhat satisfying ending. Overall, it’s a B- for me. But I’ll still keeping watching more A24 films!
The Legend of Ochi opens nationwide on April 25, 2025.
Read all my Real Movie Reviews for Real Moviegoers.
