Film Review: THE LEGEND OF OCHI (2025): A24’s Answer to E.T. is an Entertaining, Moving and Bizarre Cinematic Experience

The Legend of Ochi Review

The Legend of Ochi (2025) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Isaiah Saxon and starring Helena Zengel, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Finn Wolfhard, Carol Bors and Zoe Midgley.

Deep in the forest, off a young girl goes with an unusual little creature she just met in Isaiah Saxon’s moving new A24 drama, The Legend of Ochi. Directed by Isaiah Saxon, who may or may not have been inspired by Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the number one thing that will stand out about the new film is how damn cute the Ochi creature is. I liked how the movie established the family of Ochi’s and opened the story with showing them being hunted which automatically makes us understand why these creatures are in hiding. When a young girl named Yuri (Helena Zengel) leaves her village to discover little Ochi in a trap, the Ochi reacts by showing its sharp teeth. Yuri helps the Ochi with an injury which develops trust between them and then she packs the little guy up to take home with her in this touching dramatic adventure film.

Willem Dafoe appears in this movie as Yuri’s dad, Maxim, who walks around in something resembling a Viking helmet while declaring that Yuri’s mom, Dasha (Emily Watson) was not to be trusted. Yuri’s brother, Petro (Finn Wolfhard), seems to act differently around his peers than he behaves around Yuri. This family construct is an unhealthy one, and the movie makes that known immediately so that when Yuri bonds with the Ochi, it gives her a sense of peace, especially when she learns to communicate with the creature about everything from bugs to boogers.

This film’s plot follows the basic structure of Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial film with a broken family at its center. There’s the creature separated from its parent and the young person who becomes immersed in the life of the creature which leads to a touching friendship. The Legend of Ochi‘s greatest asset is how sensitive the Ochi comes across to viewers. When Yuri packs Ochi up and goes shoplifting, the movie reveals its darker A24 edge, though, that will make the movie stand out from being considered simply just another E.T.

Emily Watson’s Dasha saves Yuri from almost certain doom when Yuri’s left abandoned and bitten by the Ochi. Dasha has to save Yuri by giving her a sort of medicine to reverse the actions of the bite. Dasha drives a beat-up car, looks disheveled and we sort of wonder if the bad words that Maxim said about her are true. All I have to say is Maxim’s not exactly playing with a full deck, himself, even if he turns out to genuinely care about his daughter as the plot progresses.

Helena Zengel is the movie’s most prized human asset. Her vulnerability on-screen feels genuine and when she wears a pair of fangs on her own to rival those teeth of the cute Ochi, it’s humorous to say the least. This movie is quirky and offbeat so expect it to go off the normal cinematic path on a few occasions. That Ochi, though, is just so damn adorable that one can’t help but keep watching.

Dafoe is just going through some weird kind of dark emotions at first until the story line places him in a difficult situation that Yuri and the Ochi must rescue him from. Dafoe ultimately ends up bringing depth to his father character and making the viewer understand his original viewpoints but, also realize that he needs to embrace his family, including inviting Dasha back into their lives.

Emily Watson’s expressive performance helps the viewer slowly build trust in the mom character until we know for sure her heart is definitely in the right place. She can speak to the Ochi family through musical sounds, too, which helps make for an inspiring ending that can certainly beg comparisons to 1982’s Spielberg film, E.T.

The Legend of Ochi is successful due to its intriguing world-building and powerful performance by Zengel who makes this character here a plausible one, however eccentric she appears to be in the opening stages of the picture. Some scenes have her doing crazy things like stealing a car and it’s to Zengel’s credits that she plays her role in such a relatable fashion even with the sometimes-silly things the plot has her character do.

Director Saxon pours on heart, humor and wild adventure as Yuri tries to form a bond with the Ochi that would, in a perfect world, make them the best of friends, but Yuri will soon realize the importance of family as well for both herself, and the Ochi. This is a family adventure picture that has scenes of peril, yet it manages to keep a safe nature about it which makes it enjoyable, if a bit predictable at the same time.

Both family constructs here prove to be truly moving aspects of the film. As the Ochi tries to bond with Yuri, we can see where this story is headed as both Yuri and Ochi’s true families need them more than Yuri and Ochi need to be with each other forever. There has to be a compromise and the film’s ending will certainly leave a tear in more sensitive viewers’ eyes. The Legend of Ochi is nothing less than a true A24 family film that has an edge to it and can warm audiences’ hearts while being ever so cute. It’s enjoyable to behold for all its sweet intentions.

Rating: 7.5/10

Leave your thoughts on this The Legend of Ochi review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Mobile App, Google News, Feedly, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, Telegram, Mastodon, Flipboard, and Threads.