Isaiah Saxon’s The Legend of Ochi (2025) is as ambitious as a feature directorial debut can get. An original, family-friendly fantasy adventure that relies heavily on puppetry and practical creature effects? In today’s economy, no such projects exist outside of intellectual property (IP). Even when examining the current examples in Hollywood franchises, it’s only in staples like Star Wars that such fantastical productions are given the platform for success. Now, with the help of beloved indie distributor A24 and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO entertainment, among others, that tide is hopefully about to shift. The Legend of Ochi is the kind of movie that simply doesn’t get made anymore, full of genuine childlike wonder and expert craftsmanship.
Our protagonist, Yuri (Helena Zengel), lives in a remote village on the fictional island of Carpathia in the black sea. Carpathia’s old-fashioned rural communities are undergoing change, with modern technology, powered by gasoline and electricity, being integrated into their daily lives in recent years. This juxtaposition between age-old farmhouse living and current-day advancements is a fascinating backdrop for the narrative’s central conflict: the persecution of the Ochi. Despite all the progress Carpathia has made, the Ochi have been known as mankind’s greatest threat on the island since early history. The primate-like, orange-furred, and blue-faced creatures are known to spread a fatal disease and prey on livestock. When in adulthood, a large, threatened Ochi can easily take out a human.
A Family Divided by Blind Rage
Yuri’s larger-than-life, yet single-minded father, Maxim (Willem Dafoe), holds a vendetta against the Ochi for terrorizing the townsfolk and pushing his wife Dasha (Emily Watson) away. He leads a small platoon of the village’s young boys, all of whom are awkwardly in the middle of puberty, to hunt the beasts at night, usually to no success. This blind rage has drifted Yuri’s family apart. Her adopted older brother, Petro (Finn Wolfhard), who lost his own family to the Ochi hunt, is of no help either, acting as a pushover to win over Maxim’s respect. However, the chance to finally break this cycle of violence presents itself when Yuri unexpectedly discovers a wounded baby Ochi that has been left behind.
After the initial tension settles, the baby Ochi quickly wins over Yuri with his adorable charm and inquisitiveness. It becomes clear that these elusive animals are not savage and bloodthirsty, as society has portrayed them. Thus, Yuri follows her gut and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to return the small Ochi to his family deep in the Carpathian woods. While one look at the big-eared, tiny critter brings to mind Gizmo from Gremlins (or his cheap imitator Grogu from The Mandalorian), he serves a greater purpose beyond his cuteness factor. The Legend of Ochi never elicits easy laughs and “awws” from the audience with its titular creature, always maintaining that he’s a true freak of nature.
‘The Legend of Ochi’ has both Amblin and Miyazaki in its DNA
Since its Sundance 2025 premiere, many have compared Isaiah Saxon’s feature debut to another Amblin classic: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Yes, at their cores, The Legend of Ochi and E.T. are both about children on a journey to return a fantastical creature to its home. However, these surface-level comparisons are missing the larger point. Its truest link to the nostalgic hits of the past is how Saxon challenges himself to express mature themes — in this case, family dissolution and forgiveness — to younger audiences within the framework of a whimsical adventure. Just like E.T. and all the genre’s best, The Legend of Ochi does so with aplomb and glee, cementing itself as a singular story in the process.
A more prominent inspiration for Isaiah Saxon is Hayao Miyazaki (The Boy and the Heron, Spirited Away). The works of Studio Ghibli have always been felt in Encyclopedia Pictura, the indie animation studio founded by Saxon and filmmaker Sean Hellfritsch. Under Encyclopedia Pictura, Saxon has directed and animated music videos for idiosyncratic artists like Björk and Panda Bear. With roots in 2D and 3D animation, it’s no wonder the world of Carpathia feels this rich. It’s easy to get lost in the island’s vast wilderness, with many of the stunning backgrounds brought to life through a mix of VFX and matte paintings that Saxon himself also helped paint. These familiar yet otherworldly environments are crucial to the film’s storytelling.
“A Pure Labor of Love Like No Other”
The skilled incorporation of digital effects and beautiful matte paintings, combined with shooting on location in the real Carpathian Mountains of Romania, is enough to earn huge praise, especially for an independent production like this. But when throwing in a whole crew of puppeteers (just for the single baby Ochi) and actors in full body costumes (for the adult Ochi), The Legend of Ochi feels like even more of a miracle. The puppetry and detailed practical costumes blend naturally with the Carpathian wilderness. When juxtaposed against the human world, the struggle for coexistence becomes evident. Although Yuri and the small Ochi’s misadventures lead to charming humor and levity, it becomes heartbreakingly clear that the two can’t be together forever.
Rising actress Helena Zengel, who made her Hollywood debut in the 2020 Western News of the World co-starring Tom Hanks, captures the youthful spirit needed to power Isaiah Saxon’s script. Though where she truly shines is in the quiet moments, either when challenging her parents’ misguided authority or reflecting with the baby Ochi on whether she misses home or not. It’s the kind of authentic performance from a child actor that can resonate deeply with young viewers. Speaking of dysfunctional parents, Willem Dafoe (Nosferatu, Poor Things) and Emily Watson (Dune: Prophecy, Punch-Drunk Love) create the perfect dichotomy for Yuri. The former thinks she’s too naive, while the latter believes in her skills but sees them as a downfall nonetheless.
Healing Through the Ochi’s Songs
The secret to the main family’s path to healing lies with the Ochi. More specifically, the Ochi’s song — an ancient form of communication that only they can achieve via throat whistling. When the Ochis harmonize and create this awe-inspiring sound together, it transcends all boundaries. The Legend of Ochi continues to expand its mythology as the plot unfolds, further intensifying the stakes for the family. Likewise, the sweeping score from David Longstreth, best known for his band Dirty Projectors, is always an active participant in Saxon’s screenplay. The instrumentation, which features some incredibly soothing woodwinds, evokes all the joy and pain of Yuri’s quest. By the end, it feels as if you have grown alongside the characters.
The Legend of Ochi is a pure labor of love like no other. Brought together by dozens of visual artists, craftsmen, performers, and more, a story like this can only exist through sheer force of will in today’s filmmaking climate. In an era when many major studios are cannibalizing their own IP in a desperate attempt to capture nostalgia, writer-director Isaiah Saxon aptly demonstrates that new, original stories can evoke those same endearing emotions, even on an independent scale. It’s hard not to get a little choked up thinking about how many kids will soon fall in love with The Legend of Ochi, obsessing over the top-tier worldbuilding and lore on display. It rarely gets better than this.
The Legend of Ochi is now playing in theaters in Los Angeles and New York, and will expand nationwide on April 25!
Release Date: April 25, 2025.
Directed by Isaiah Saxon.
Written by Isaiah Saxon.
Produced by Richard Peete, Traci Carlson, Isaiah Saxon, & Jonathan Wang.
Executive Producers: Elisa Alvares, Timo Argillander, Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen, Mike Larocca, Louise Lovegrove, Alex Plapinger, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, & Angela Russo-Otstot.
Main Cast: Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, & Willem Dafoe.
Cinematographer: Evan Prosofsky.
Composer: David Longstreth.
Production Companies: AGBO, Encyclopedia Pictura, Neighborhood Watch, & Year of the Rat.
Distributor: A24.
Runtime: 95 minutes.
Rated PG.
