La leyenda de Ochi

Yuri, the daughter of the leader of a troop of child soldiers, lives on a small, remote island in the Black Sea inhabited by creatures called Ochi. Yuri feels that she is different than the others. When she finds a baby Ochi in a trap, she embarks on a journey to reunite the baby with its mother and finds herself on the way.

This movie is about adolescence and rebelling to become who you are meant to be. The story has potential, but there is limited backstory on the village, the people, the characters, the island, and the Ochi. The runtime of one hour and thirty-six minutes forces the story to get to the point quickly, but somehow, it still manages to create portions that make the movie drag. Fans of A24 might consider streaming it when available, but it could be skipped overall.

This film has atmosphere, I'll give it that. The previews had me excited to check it out; Willem DaFoe hunting ape monsters in a viking outfit? Sign me up! The production design is top notch, the strange lost in time setting of Carpathia is beautiful and haunting, and the creature design and execution is very well done.

The story, on the other hand, seems to be an afterthought. The dialogue is indistinct (figuratively and literally; oftentimes I had no idea what they were saying), and the characters really lacked any nuance or development. Quirky for the sake of quirkiness.

My main gripe, though, is that it mostly fails as a kids' movie. I normally love slow, atmospheric films, but this one moved like the tectonic plates that formed the mountains of Catpathia. I brought my 9-year old and he didn't hesitate to tell me how boring he found the film, and we left before it ended. There was very little humor, and most of the parts that seemed to be attempts at laughs fell completely flat.

I really wanted to like this film. I admire the dedication to practical effects, and the attention to feeling and atmosphere in the world building. Unfortunately, the lack of a compelling story or characters made this into a slog.

This is one of those films that arrives quietly and softly nestles into your heart - The Legend of Ochi tells a tender coming-of-age story wrapped in myth and nature, where a young girl finds herself connected to a strange, mystical creature and makes the brave choice to protect it, even when it means letting go.

Among the group, Winny really vibed with the visual style - the colors, the misty forests, the soft lighting, and that ethereal world-building had him fully immersed. It's a beautiful film, no doubt, with that almost storybook kind of feel that lingers even after the credits roll.

Willow, on the other hand, saw the signs coming early - the whole "family sees creature, thinks it's dangerous, tries to stop it" arc. He called it from the beginning, and yeah, he wasn't wrong. Predictable? Kinda. But it still hit some nice emotional notes.

Mimikyu? Oh, she was all-in on the Ochi creature. Absolutely adored it. Said it was expressive, sweet, and honestly deserved protection at all costs. She even started shipping Ochi and the girl - not in a weird way, just that they clearly understood each other in a way no one else could. It's that soul connection stuff, and she was here for it.

Amy and Tails? Total Dad fans. Every time he popped up, they'd crack up. His moments added that quirky charm, grounding the movie with some warm, unexpected humor.

Sweet was drawn to the core concept - finding a rare or maybe even extinct creature and choosing to protect it instead of exploiting it. He felt like, yeah, it was predictable in parts, but the pacing and the way the story unfolded gave it its own rhythm. He liked how it didn't rush itself and let the bond between girl and creature breathe.

Altogether, this wasn't a perfect movie, but it was a sincere one. It gave off those quiet-but-deep kind of feels - like something you'd find in a tucked-away corner of childhood memory. Some might say it's a little rough around the edges, but that kind of adds to its charm.

Final Rating: 7/10.

Once again, the world is introduced to a supremely cute and photogenic creature meant to evoke child-like joy. The only difference is, this isn't some E. T. knock-off, but more like a dark Disney film from the early 80s.

Filled with dark imagery, ominous music and some deep themes about parental control and relationships, The Legend of Ochi gives us a sense of fear, joy and triumph amidst the backdrop of the Carpathian Mountains. It's rare to see this kind of movie made these days, especially since the hyper reality of the film's world has a touch of Wes Anderson. Fortunately, the film doesn't go too hard in that department as the world feels a little more real than Anderson's sensibilities.

Overall, the story starts out pretty strong, giving us a very good foundation to focus on. However, it's the muddled middle where the problems begin. A couple of overly convenient contrivances occur, and while they were certainly meant to move the story quicker, it was still jarring in their sudden entrance.

The only other complaint was sometimes the VFX shots didn't look convincing, but this was a low budget movie and they did a good job considering their limitations. Overall, I found the film to be a joy and interesting to look at, which is fine from time to time.

I had the opportunity to attend an early screening of The Legend of Ochi ahead of its theatrical release this Friday. The film offers a unique and imaginative premise, blending fantasy elements with a heartfelt narrative. The use of practical effects, such as puppetry, and the choice of real-world locations contribute to its distinctive visual style, reminiscent of classic 1980s fantasy films.

However, I found the pacing to be slower than anticipated, which affected my overall engagement with the story. While there are moments of humor that provide relief, the film's deliberate tempo may not resonate with all viewers. Additionally, some night scenes appeared overly dark, making it challenging to discern details, though other scenes were visually striking.

Despite these aspects, I appreciate the film's ambition and the creative efforts behind its production. I sincerely hope The Legend of Ochi finds its audience and enjoys a successful run upon release.