Plot: What’s it about?
After a quarter of a century of watching and reviewing movies on disc, I’m still somewhat confused as to what draws me to some and others I avoid like the plague. Case in point, I’d have thought that The Legend of Ochi wouldn’t be on that I’d be interesting in watching, let alone I. But, well, here I am. There are a number of plot similarities to Steven Spielberg’s 1982 hit E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, a movie that I loved as a kid but now…not so much (don’t read anything into that, I just feel it’s a bit over-sentimentalized). But I was recently in California and my wife had wanted to go shopping downtown (she “gave” me a few hours to do with as I wish). I didn’t have a lot on my schedule, the weather was less than desirable so after walking around an outdoor shopping center and getting my Starbucks, I ended up at the movie theater. It was 11 A.M. and this was set to start at 11:10. At 96 minutes, it wasn’t that much of an investment and I figured with it being a Tuesday morning, it wouldn’t exactly be a packed house. I was correct. I was the only one in the theater. That’s my story. This is theirs.
Set in a small Carpathian village, the locals live in fear of Ochi, furry (and adorable) creatures that dwell in the forest. Maxim (Willem Dafoe) lives in said village and takes it upon himself to train young males, namely Petro (Finn Wolfhard) to trap and kill these creatures. His daughter, Yuri (Helena Zengel) goes along for the ride when she encounters a wounded baby Ochi. She takes it back to the house where she tends to it and decides to run away and return it to its family. As fate would have it, along the way she encounters her long-missing mother – Dasha (Emily Watson). There’s a little more going on with the plot and as mentioned above, we deal with some plot parallels to E.T., namely that there’s a bond between a child and an otherworldly creature, both separated from its family. But that’s about where they end. There’s humor to be found, namely with Dafoe’s character, and a heart-warming message as well.
The film’s PG rating might be a bit misleading. Don’t get me wrong, it’s kid-friendly, but it’s not necessarily aimed at kids. Make sense? The little Ochi creatures are reminiscent of those found in Gremlins (you know, before they “turned”) or if you’re a fan of The Mandalorian. You get the idea. But writer/director Isaiah Saxon seems to be onto something here, utilizing humor to get the message across. There’s little things, like Dafoe’s character wearing armor even when there’s no logical need and so forth. But there’s also a message here concerning family. It’s something we’ve all been a part of, even a family of two. I might have to watch this again. It’s interesting enough that I find myself wanting to view it again. There’s a lot to be said about that as most films I watch once and forget them a few hours later.
Video: How’s it look?
The film comes to us in a 1.66:1 AVC HD encode that’ll give you some black vertical bars on the side of your TV. Don’t see those too often, do ya? Don’t worry, though, it’s what’s in between those bars where the magic happens. The film’s foreign locations, sometimes aided by a bit of the ‘ol CGI, have a very mystical quality to them. It’s as if a painting is coming to life. Every shot looks like a photograph. And the same applies to the Ochi. One one hand, they look like muppets, but they don’t have that fake vibe about them that others do, but if you watch the end credits you’ll be rewarded as to how this was done. That said, colors pop, detail is off the charts and it makes for a wonderful viewing experience. It’s a storybook come to life.
Audio: How’s it sound?
We’re treated to a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that makes and takes full advantage of every channel in your system. Though the vocals are as we’d expect, clear and crisp, it’s some of the atmospheric elements (literally, in this case) like wind and rain, that really give this mix its uniqueness. Some of the songs have a very etherial quality to them as well. But this mix has a way of putting the viewer right in the middle of the action (which is the point, of course) and it heightens the movie-watching experience for sure. I found this mix engrossing in every sense of the word and a wonderful addition to the film itself.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Writer-Director Isaiah Saxon gives us a very clear cut track full of information, the inspiration for the shoot, casting and everything in between. Honestly I was somewhat dreading listening to this, but I have to admit that it really wasn’t that bad and fans of the film will get a lot of enjoyment out of this one.
- The Ochi Quest – Saxon takes us through the set while providing us some guidance in this oddly informative nearly 20 minute piece.
- Deleted Scene – Just one, running a shade over a minute. “Singing Bird”
The Bottom Line
This is a unique film, to be sure. Strong performances abound and though the story might seem oddly familiar, the movie manages to stand on its own. The Blu-ray comes with reference-quality audio and video and though it’s a bit light on supplements, what’s included should be enough to warrant a purchase. Recommended.
