Harking back to the adventure films of the 80s and 90s where things felt more innocent and slightly more exciting, writer-director Isaiah Saxon takes us into a new world, strange yet still familiar. The island where these characters live – described as a small island and yet there are mountains, rivers and a vast landscape that takes days to cross. Possibly compared to the rest of the world, the island is small, but here it provides a magnificent backdrop to a story of courage, curiosity, and connection. The Legend of Ochi is an adventure as well as a fantasy that could just about capture the imagination of any age.
Yuri, a young farm girl living on the remote island of Carpathia, has been brought up to never go out after dark and fear the mysterious reclusive creatures known as the Ochi. Her eccentric father is obsessed with killing the creatures and trains a group of young volunteers to protect the village. But when Yuri finds an injured baby Ochi, she decides to journey across the island to return it to its home.
There is a definitive sense that we've seen this story before, as the bare bones set up is similar to How to Train Your Dragon. But here we have a young girl who goes against her father's wishes and beliefs that a mysterious creature is evil when in fact they are near-harmless.
The most endearing part of the film is the puppets used to bring the Ochi to life. With several people carefully taking each step, every movement makes it feel as if these creatures are real. The design evokes Baby-Yoda-meets-golden snub-nosed-monkey – adorable as well as ferocious. Even the mythology behind these creatures feels fascinating. It's very easy to become invested in Yuri and the baby Ochi's journey. When they bond over being able to finally communicate with each other, it's magical. System Crasher herself, Helena Zengal, slips very comfortably into the role of Yuri, bringing us into her world and discoveries along the journey. Her powerful scenes are with the Ochi, and we really do start to believe that this fantastical story is real.
Unfortunately, Ochi does have its faults, one being character development and even relevance. Finn Wolfhard's Petro, adopted brother to Yuri, is given very little to do. He's part of the family but not quite. Spending the majority of the film in silence, he has no real bearing on the plot – a shame as it seems that he should have and could have been important. The same goes for the boys in Willem Dafoe's Maxim's little army. They have a very brief intro and a blink and you'll miss it (or rather hear it) explanation for why they are assembled in the first place. Alongside, there is a severe lack of clarity, which may or may not be on purpose. We don't really understand the full reason for Emily Watson's Dasha's exile. As she wants to study the Ochi but doesn't want Yuri to find them, it's quite confusing.
These qualms can be overlooked in favour of admiring the beyond amazing puppeteering throughout, as well as the exquisite landscape. At the heart, this adventure belongs to Yuri and the Ochi she rescues, and really, these scenes are the most beautifully constructed and, aside from the highly emotional climax, the most heart-warming. The Legend of Ochi may be a film that slips by most, but those looking for or longing for an unusual adventure will find the film delightful, on the whole.
The Legend of Ochi is out now
Podcast
