A24 has branched out and away from the genres they’re best known for—horror and quirky dramas—with The Legend of Ochi, a fantasy adventure that strives to be similar to the family adventure films of the 1980s, such as E.T. and Gremlins.
The film opens with a shot of a dark island in the Black Sea and a voice-over from young Yuri (Helena Zengel, News of the World) talking about life on the island and how her people fear and hunt the deadly animals known as the Ochi. Yuri’s father, Maxim (Willem Dafoe, Nosferatu), trains her brother Petro (Finn Wolfhard, Stranger Things) and a group of teenage boys how to hunt the creatures.
After a hunt that goes horribly wrong, Yuri, upset with what she witnessed, walks into the wilderness and finds a wounded baby Ochi lost and separated from its mother. After carefully interacting with the frightened little animal, Yuri tells it, “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” and surprisingly quickly gains the creature’s trust.
Yuri secretly brings it back home and treats its wound, but her brother hears the noises it makes. She realizes they can’t stay, so she packs her backpack and climbs out the window to take the baby to its mother.
Maxim looks for his daughter the next morning when she misses breakfast, and after finding blood and Ochi animal fur, he assumes she’s been kidnapped. Worried, Maxim takes off with Petro and the other boys to find her.
So begins a long and arduous journey through the wilderness for Yuri and her little friend that will change everyone’s lives forever.
The Legend of Ochi is a fantasy adventure with beautiful visuals and wonderful puppetry bringing the little baby Ochi to life, complete with a sweet and scrappy personality. It’s in the character development, or lack thereof, and the emotional connections that the film fails.
16-year-old German actress Helena Zengel portrays Yuri as a shy, inquisitive, and, unfortunately, smug brat. Even though her quest is righteous, her treatment and interactions with everyone around her come off as insulting and condescending. She is an unlikable child hero.
Willem Dafoe once again delivers an over-the-top performance as Maxim, Yuri’s father who is desperate to find his child as well as win her love. It’s obvious early on in the film during the hunt that he’s trying to forge a connection with her and really bond. He’s the second best thing about the film.
As Petro, the older brother who, according to Yuri, is only “nice to her when no one is looking,” Finn Wolfhard’s talents are wasted. His character lacks depth and any genuine emotions, and he doesn’t have any chemistry with Zengel. They’re not convincing as siblings.
Where the film is strongest is in the stunning cinematography of the island and the design of the baby Ochi, which looks like a cross between Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian and little Gizmo from Gremlins. This is not, however, enough to make the film worthwhile. Sadly, it fails to capture the heart and emotion needed to truly care and connect with Yuri and baby Ochi.
GRADE: C
MPA Rating: PG for smoking, a bloody image, some language, thematic elements, and violent content
Running Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Directed By: Isaiah Saxon
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