DIRECTED BY ISAIAH SAXON
Somewhere in the spooky, foggy hills of the mythical island of Carpathia, Maxim (Willem Dafoe) is hunting Ochi. He claims the monsters stole his wife and present the realest threat imaginable to his remote village community. They agree and let him operate a makeshift hunting squad of the island’s toughest boys, with his adopted son Petro (Finn Wolfhard) as his second-in-command.
THE PLOT
Maxim’s daughter Yuri (Helena Zengel) doesn’t share the island’s bloodlust. Since her mother abandoned them for the forest, she’s felt out of place — so when she finds an injured baby Ochi caught in one of her father’s traps, she decides to bring it home to its family, launching an emotional trek that shows her the beasts might not be beasts at all.
From there, the movie becomes a quiet journey through mountains, rivers, and dreamlike forests. Along the way, Yuri struggles, learns more about herself, and meets her estranged mother Dasha (Emily Watson), who shares her daughter’s love for the creatures. Eventually, Dasha and Yuri unite to return the baby Ochi while Maxim and his crew learn their own lessons in empathy.
I guess the best way to describe it is that the story sneaks up on you. It starts as a slow-paced rescue mission but by the end it’s an old-fashioned folk tale with morals around found family and forgiveness.
THE STORY (vs. THE VIBES)
Narratively, Ochi is simple, but the vibe is like its own ecosystem.
The pace is deliberate and sleepy. For every moment of tension there’s ten of long silences. Writer/director Isaiah Saxon has constructed something mythical and dreamy, and at times it can be visually hypnotic. The colors are nearly always hazy and greenish (the movie was shot partly in Transylvanian forests), and it’s less plot-driven than emotionally steeped.
THE PUPPETS
The Ochi are the heart of the film, and they’re alive! Seven puppeteers operated the baby Ochi alone via a blend of animatronics, puppetry, and suit performance with the kind of warmth that makes CGI feel a little soulless in comparison. The result is admittedly impressive.
Ochi feels like it’s from a lost era of moviemaking; everyone’s compared it to Gremlins, The Dark Crystal, E.T., and etc. for valid reasons. It’s great to see what this sort of deliberate character-building looks like in 2025.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Legend of Ochi is in large part a creature feature and is therefore a nice fall watch when you’re gearing up for spooky season but not ready for jump scares and ghosts.
The modern fairy tale element is enjoyable if not a little generic. This is definitely a “vibe” movie. If you’re willing to surrender to the slow rhythm and take it as an experience instead of a deeply thought-out plot, you’ll have a very nice time.
this movie is good.
My rating: 3/5
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