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Recovering Texan. Full time consultant, part time writer.
Something often replicated in film but never accomplished is a sense of wonder. That is, the type of wonder that only films from Steven Spielberg or Hayao Miyazaki can accomplish. Spielberg has been making films for over fifty years, Miyazaki for thirty, which is to say, the attempt at capturing this feeling has been going on for a long time, but rarely executed. If I had to put Isaiah Saxon’s first feature film, The Legend of Ochi, into one word, it would be, without a doubt, wonder. While it’s not without its flaws, The Legend of Ochi is a cinematic delight.
The Legend of Ochi follows a young girl named Yuri (Helena Zengel) on a remote island occupied by a species of animals called Ochis. The Ochis are a feared creature hunted by her father, Maxim (Willem Dafoe), and her father’s crew of kids made orphans by Ochis-turned hunters. Yuri is disillusioned by her way of living and disgruntled with her father, until she discovers an injured baby Ochi. She takes it upon herself to take the injured Ochi under her wing and take it back to its home.
The Legend of Ochi is Good Filmmaking
The best thing about The Legend of Ochi is its technical filmmaking. It’s exhilarating to experience this film, even when the plot isn’t moving in that exact moment. In some scenes, director of photography Evan Prosofsky’s camera moves along a mountain range amongst the fog, and each time, I felt swept away. Scenes of walking (really, just walking) are visually enrapturing. The striking yellow jacket that Yuri wears cuts through the scenery, but complements rather than retracts. The Legend of Ochi‘s visual feast would leave me flat on my back if I saw this at 8 years old, let alone at 28 years old.
How a film brings you in is essential, and Saxon’s film lulls the viewer in and allows them to be in the same presence as the creatures and surroundings within. You never feel removed from the atmosphere, and the lightheartedness and earnestness about it is infectious. The narrative never went down any unpleasant paths, despite its darker themes, imagery, and events, which isn’t a low point. Yet, I did see myself wanting more out of this film as the credits began to roll.
The Ochis
Furthermore, the Ochi creature is unique and wholly in a league of its own. The creature design—from creative supervisor John Nolan and Ochi animatronic painter David Darby—, the sounds they make—from supervising sound editors Brent Kiser and Elliot Thompson and their team—, and the lore built around them is compelling. How the Ochi characters were incorporated into the world was nailed.
All of the Ochis were done practically, either by the puppeteering led by Robert Tygner or through animatronics by Ochi animatronic designers Karl Gallivan, Adrian Parish, and Adam Wright, and it made the world feel more alive and real. Sure, there were a few moments where the animatronic aspect was apparent. However, it was never enough to remove you from the viewing experience. What is accomplished in atmosphere building is where The Legend of Ochi truly shines.
The Storytelling
While the filmmaking on display is incredible, the plot doesn’t hold itself to the same scale. The best way to describe The Legend of Ochi is mythological, for better or for worse. You never peer deeper than the emotions on the surface of each character. The commitment from each actor isn’t enough to uplift a script that isn’t at the same caliber as everything else around it. Dafoe and Emily Watson (Punch-Drunk Love, Corpse Bride, Chernobyl) need no introduction. Unfortunately, though, they—as well as the rest of the cast—are pretty one-note. This is by design, but that design doesn’t all come together in the first place. Even then, a simplistic story can be a feature, but its lack of character direction makes this a flaw—a minor one, yet a flaw nonetheless.
Final Thoughts on Isaiah Saxon’s A24 Project, The Legend of Ochi
In a time where films are mostly grounded and gritty or a means to expand a studio’s catalog—in this case, A24—, it’s refreshing to see a film as wistful and full of wonderment as The Legend of Ochi. While I don’t think it hits on all fronts, it is by no stretch an unpleasant time. The crisp 96-minute runtime breezes by and wastes no time (complimentary!). It’s easy for a film such as this to fall under the weight of its own lore. Still, it is perfectly in balance with the rest of the elements at play. The Legend of Ochi is a film that can be enjoyed by anybody, and that alone is its biggest accomplishment.
7/10
The Legend of Ochi plays in Los Angeles and New York theaters starting today, Friday, April 18th, and will expand nationwide next Friday, April 25th!
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Recovering Texan. Full time consultant, part time writer.
