If I could describe The Legend of Ochi in one way, the first thing that came to my mind immediately following my screening was “A Studio Ghibli movie made in live action but with a messier plot”. After ruminating on that sentiment for a couple days, I think my point stands. Clear story beats and themes that we liken to the work of Ghibli – and Hayao Miyazaki in particular – run wild as influences on debut writer/director Isaiah Saxon.
The film is set on the northern island of Carpathia, where magical beings called Ochi – who communicate rhythmically through chants and feelings – are often at odds with the human race that live there. Humans have been taught to fear the Ochi and to hunt them, led by Maxim (Willem Dafoe). Maxim’s daughter Yuri (Helena Zengel), however, doesn’t share these sentiments and when a baby Ochi becomes separated from the pack, she sets out to return it to its home. Meanwhile, Maxim attempts to chase after her to bring her back and “save” her from the Ochi.
The issues I have with The Legend of Ochi aren’t due to a lack of care. It’s clear that Saxon really loves the story he’s telling. He spent over 6 years working to bring it to life. The issues lie in the fact that Saxon is clearly inexperienced in crafting the story. The film is largely a kid’s movie with traits that definitely can work, but they’re often implemented in unsatisfying ways. Stereotypical “kid” humor is injected in inorganic ways and while they got laughs, it often fragmented the narrative. Additionally, the story at many points feels secondary to what Saxon and crew are trying to attempt visually.
While they’re quite successful in making the film world look fantastical through its use of practical effects, creatures and on location shooting, The Legend of Ochi often overlooks its story for these visual elements. Had the film been any longer than a tight 97 minutes, it may have been forgivable. But the film moves at such breakneck pace that when it slows down to show off the baby Ochi up close or depict the characters interacting with their environment, it takes time away from crafting the narrative.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, The Legend of Ochi is effective in creating a world that kids will find magical. That was clearly one of the goals of the filmmakers. But at the same time, I can’t find many reasons why this kid’s movie would stand out amongst the rest. Saxon is clearly influenced by the works of Studio Ghibli in crafting this film. But you’re better off introducing a child to one of Miyazaki’s masterpieces like Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro or Howl’s Moving Castle to get the same idea.
2/5
“Rapid Review” is a series of short-form reviews where we give a brief look at new films between our full-length reviews or are older films we want to highlight in between our other film reviews. For film suggestions, email [email protected]. To check out more of our rhttps://www.youtube.com/@firstpicturehouseeviews, click here.
I have been watching movies my whole life and fell in love at an early age. I was entranced by the ability for a film to whisk me away to a different universe, and that really started with the Star Wars Franchise. I'm by no means an expert and can roll with opinions that might be controversial, but that's the beauty of a film; we can all see the same thing on screen, but each of us may come away with a different interpretation of what we saw. When I'm not watching movies, I work in Marketing with my degree from Western New England University.
MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Good Will Hunting, Star Wars: A New Hope (or the whole saga), All The President's Men, Before Sunrise, Ocean's 11, In The Mood For Love and so many more...