The legend of Ochi: an initiatory tale that is eyeing the 80’s classics (critic)
A first long under influence of Gremlins and other Dark Crystal, populated by creatures to whom we forgive his outrageous, the cabotinage of Willem Dafoe in mind
Whoever saw the multi-prime clip of Wanderlust that Isaiah Saxon made for Björk will not be surprised at the playing field he chose to survey for his first long. That of the hybrid adventure film which, from the outset, brings us back. In the 80s, that of Gremlins And of Dark Crystal Populated with creatures that have made a whole generation of kids dream or tremble. A filiation which he fully assumes for this project which detonates in the line up of its very chic producer at 24, not very customary of family films. History propels us into an isolated village of carpats in the footsteps of a little girl raised in the fear of mysterious creatures of the forest around, the Ochi. Until the day she discovered an Ochi baby and decide to defy all the prohibitions to bring him back to her family. Nothing revolutionary in this scenario, an initiation story of a young girl emancipating from a dominated world from generation to generation by men. But the charm operates by the outdated side of the realization, this desire to marry all these classics of the 80’s including in its imperfect rendering where, unlike remarkable work on creatures (mixing animatronic puppets, paints on cache and a hint of CGI), that on the very materials of nature (forest, water …) in which all these little people evolves. But as this Too Much side marries the freewheeling performance while cabotinating by Willem Dafoe in the role of the villain, we end up finding a mischievous coherence.
By Isaiah Saxon. With Helena Zangel, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson … Duration 1h36. Released April 23, 2025
