Even with Willem Dafoe and a blue ape, The Legend of Ochi could stand to be weirder

Even with Willem Dafoe and a blue ape, The Legend of Ochi could stand to be weirder

This beautifully made film may paint itself as wild and free, but it still conforms to conventional storytelling

The Legend Of Ochi Review – 'Wondrous old-school effects'

Contrary to internet speculation, AI is not responsible for the saucer-eyed, blue-furred, adorably simian attractions of The Legend Of Ochi. No, these are creatures of an older age — that is, the practical-effects heyday of the 1980s, when people still built monsters from elbow grease instead of ones and zeroes. Moving to movies years after conjuring the weird menagerie of Björk’s ‘Wanderlust’ video, director Isaiah Saxon deploys old-school anim…

The Legend of Ochi Review

In a film world dominated by glossy CGI effects, The Legend of Ochi stands out.  It’s a refreshing film, carefully made with a passion for old-school fantasy. Isaiah Saxon’s debut feature is a marvel of visual design, a children’s fantasy that evokes the tactile charm of 1980s classics while refusing to become a slave to nostalgia. The story takes place in Carpathia, a fictional island in the Black Sea. It’s a magical place with thick forests an…