The Legend of Ochi Parent Guide

The ruggedly beautiful island of Carpathia is home to humans who try to scratch a living from the land, hopefully without encountering wolves, bears, and the frightening ochi. Regularly blamed for the deaths of livestock, the primate-sized ochi keep villagers in a state of fear. So frightened are they that several of them have sent their sons to the steely-spined Maxim (Willem Dafoe) to learn how to fight their furry foes.

Maxim’s zeal for ochi-hunting is fueled by his anger over the loss of his wife (Emily Watson) and his belief that he “sees the devil dancing in the goblin’s eyes” – but that commitment to killing ochi doesn’t extend to his daughter, Yuri (Helena Zengel).

Like many a teenage girl, Yuri exists in a state of sullen resentment, fed up with her father’s obsession, and fascinated by the natural world. When she finds a baby ochi in one of Maxim’s traps, she lets it go instead of killing it. The ochi is injured and needs care, so Yuri treats it before heading for the hills in the hopes of returning it to its mother.

The quest won’t be easy. The mountains are steep, the weather cold, the dangers real. Soon, Yuri isn’t just trying to survive the natural challenges, she’s also evading her father’s search for her. But there are compensations – Yuri makes some startling discoveries about her past and discovers new ways of connecting with the ochi, who might not be the villains Maxim has always believed them to be…

The most remarkable thing about The Legend of Ochi is the way it was made: this film uses practical effects; not digital ones. The ochi, which look like a cross between Yoda and an orange-furred gorilla are puppets. The backdrops aren’t digitally rendered: the stunning scenery is either matte paintings or the wild Romanian countryside. To ensure the film’s classic look, it was also shot with 90-year-old camera lenses, to provide a softer ambience to the story. Director Isaiah Saxon deserves credit for his believable, beautiful world building.

Where the movie falls down is in its story which fails to coalesce into the magical tale that it should be. Yuri’s journey has moments of wonder, but the emotional payoff simply isn’t there for the audience. And the magical nature vibe of Yuri’s story clashes with Maxim’s story arc which too often falls into parody. I think part of the problem is casting Willem Dafoe as Maxim. Chewing the scenery is bad enough, but when he dons Maxim’s ridiculous armor, not even Dafoe can rein in the sense that this part of the script has gone way over the top.

While The Legend of Ochi is a technical achievement, I’m not sure it’s going to have mass appeal. The story is too thin for adults and too dark for little kids. There are several moments of peril, plenty of gunshots, some bloody injuries, and a bit of profanity. Oddly enough, there are also several scenes of adults smoking cigarettes, which I haven’t seen in a PG movie for a long time – and with good reason.

If you are still interested in the movie, it comes with some positive messages. Yuri exemplifies compassion, open-mindedness, and care for the natural world and Maxim’s journey reminds us that it’s never too late to change. His crew of lost boys are also a red flag for the dangers of teaching hate, prioritizing violence, and fostering fear. It’s not a total loss, but this movie too often falls short where it should soar.

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.