Film Review: THE LEGEND OF OCHI
by Karen Pecota

Isaiah Saxon, USA, Finland, UK 2025

After a major rejection as an artist in filmmaking, Isaiah Saxon, took a detour from the industry to re-evaluate his talent and do some soul searching. Influenced by some renown people in the music video industry (Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, and Chris Cunningham), Saxon wondered if his skill might be best served in the music business. His decision to move in this direction proved to be positive. It allowed him to experiment with different tools of design that he had learned from his studies in the art world, i.e., sculpturing or puppetry. Saxon began to incorporate his training and expertise to develop a narrative where a human and an animal could “bond and communicate” without language in THE LEGEND OF OCHI.

Saxon notes that his goal was to present a project with creativity and childlike wonder, for a unique approach to world-building. He accomplishes this beautifully, even to a point where initially one wonders if the narrative is wrongly deemed for family viewing. Saxon methodically draws the audience in for a heartwarming journey that enlightens the soul. Saxon, “creates a world that’s neither purely naturalistic nor total fantasy,” according to actor Williem Dafoe. 

Synopsis:

Inhabitants on the island of Carpathia are either humans, animals, or the Ochi (a mythical species). The island’s villagers are taught to fear the Ochi because of their strange nocturnal activities accompanied by disturbing noises. They described the Ochi as monstrous and a danger to their livestock. Maxim (Williem Dafoe), a militant village leader indoctrinates young men to hunt the Ochi while they are active at night, to rid their land of them, believing them to be evil.

Maxim’s daughter, Yuri (Helena Zengel) accompanies her father on a hunt that turns treacherous. While hiding, Yuri observes a wounded baby Ochi, who gets left behind. Yuri, secretly cares for the baby and brings it back to health. Yuri, feels a kinship to the creature and questions its threat; but her quest is not to question, only to find a way to bring it home.

Yuri’s harrowing journey of doing a good deed unknowingly puts the two in danger as a manhunt is underway to bring Yuri home when her plight is uncovered.

Deep in the Carpathian Mountains, Yuri and baby Ochi venture forth. Along the way, Yuri realizes that her journey isn’t only to bring the baby home, but her sincere acts of kindness and love uncover her destiny as a peacemaker.