The Legend of Ochi is A24’s version of E.T. While The Legend of Ochi clearly draws inspiration from classic coming-of-age creature features, director Isaiah Saxon brings his own artistic sensibilities to this tale. Unlike Spielberg’s optimistic suburban fantasy, Saxon crafts something more reminiscent of a folk tale—mysterious, occasionally menacing, and deeply rooted in the isolation of its setting.

Subverting E.T.

Location

• ET takes place in sunny Southern California.
• Ochi takes place on a cold, damp island in the middle of the Black Sea where the sun seemingly never shines. (Filmed on location in Romania.)

Characters

• E.T. has one main character, but many other characters have dialogue and get fleshed out.
• Ochi’s narrow focus on only three characters creates an intimate portrait of Yuri’s experience. This minimalist approach to the cast allows for more nuanced character development for our protagonist, though it does leave supporting characters like Finn Wolfhard’s brother feeling underdeveloped. The sparse dialogue contributes to the film’s dreamlike atmosphere, where emotional communication often happens through visual storytelling rather than exposition.

Visual Style

• E.T. has Spielberg’s classic warm lighting and suburban Americana aesthetic
• Ochi appears to use a more muted color palette, emphasizing the cold, isolated island setting

The Creature/Entity

• E.T. features a clearly alien but somewhat cute and friendly extraterrestrial
• The baby ochi is certainly more warm and cuddly, but it has teeth and isn’t afraid to use them. And the grown-up ochi will rip your head off.

Number of Defoes

• E.T. has, by my count, zero William Defoes.
• Ochi has exactly one, which is infinitely more than E.T. 🙂

Willem Dafoe brings his characteristic intensity to the film, though in a more restrained fashion than we’ve seen in some of his more manic performances. His presence adds gravitas to the story, and he manages to convey volumes through minimal dialogue. Dafoe has a talent for inhabiting unusual worlds convincingly – whether it’s a lighthouse, a fantasy kingdom, or here, an isolated island with mythical creatures. His performance grounds the fantastical elements in emotional reality, making the extraordinary feel possible.

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Similarities to E.T.

Both movies portray the coming of age of children growing into adolescence, and children coping with divorce/abandonment issues. Both films also use real models instead of relying on CGI. Of course, that was the case for E.T. because creating a CGI version of E.T. back in the early 80s wasn’t possible. But today it feels like CGI is the quick and cheap way to go about creating fantastical characters. Fortunately, ochi is a puppet that is controlled by a team of people. This gives it more immediacy and realism in the shots where the baby ochi and Yuri interact.

Is it worth seeing?

The Legend of Ochi occupies an interesting middle ground in A24’s catalog – more accessible than their most experimental offerings but still distinctively crafted. While it follows some familiar creature-feature patterns, it offers enough unique elements to stand apart from its influences. I wasn’t completely captivated – the story follows a somewhat predictable arc that lacks the genuine surprise of A24’s best work. However, viewers who appreciate atmospheric storytelling, folk-horror elements, and coming-of-age narratives will find plenty to enjoy here. It’s particularly worth seeing for families with older children ready for something with a bit more emotional complexity and atmospheric tension than typical PG fare.

What ultimately saves Ochi from formula is its willingness to embrace ambiguity and resonate emotionally rather than simply hitting expected plot points. It’s not A24’s most groundbreaking film, but it’s a solid entry in their growing catalog of distinctive genre offerings.

Did You Know?

• The Legend of Ochi represents director Isaiah Seret’s feature film debut after a successful career directing music videos and commercials
• The production spent considerable time location scouting to find the perfect isolated island setting that could embody both beauty and menace
• The Ochi creature design went through numerous iterations to achieve the right balance of appealing and threatening
• Finn Wolfhard, who plays the brother, is best known for his role in Stranger Things, another story centered on children encountering mysterious creatures

Grade: B

If You Liked This…

If you enjoyed The Legend of Ochi, you might also appreciate:

• Coraline – Another dark fantasy that explores childhood fears and family dynamics through a child’s relationship with mysterious creatures
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon – For its similar folk tale sensibilities and complex creature-child relationship
• Lamb (2021) – Another A24 film that blends the mundane with the fantastic in an isolated setting
• Paper Girls (TV series) – For its skillful handling of coming-of-age themes with sci-fi elements
• His Dark Materials (HBO series) – For its exploration of children bonding with companion creatures in a world where adults can’t be trusted

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Plot
In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy girl is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when she discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.