Fright Night Horror

  A Beautifully Crafted Fantasy That Struggles to Stay Afloat Isaiah Saxon's The Legend of Ochi is a visually enchanting yet narratively uneven debut that blends old-school fantasy charm with a modern emotional undercurrent. Brimming with atmosphere and anchored by handmade artistry, the film has a distinctive voice. But despite flashes of magic and menace, it struggles to maintain momentum, particularly in its slow-moving middle. Set on the wintry island of Carpathia, the story follows Yuri (Helena Zengel), a young girl raised in a brutal, male-dominated village. Her father, Maxim (Willem Dafoe), is a hard-edged patriarch who trains children to hunt down the elusive, goblin-like creatures known as the Ochi. When Yuri discovers and befriends an injured baby Ochi, she turns her back on her upbringing and sets out to return the creature to its kin. Her journey becomes a quiet rebellion as she seeks her estranged mother (Emily Watson) and tries to stay one step ahead of her relentless...