Lies. Deceitfulness. Secrecy.
It doesn’t take a mysterious shadow government organization to carry those attributes. Most would agree that human beings share those traits in one way or another. The way we keep secrets may vary — for personal gain, to protect our loved ones, or for the greater good of the masses. One thing remains at the core: what makes a secret ethical? How far would you go to preserve it? Perhaps you may unearth that answer, alongside many burning questions and long-forgotten mysteries, in MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS.
From the get-go, MONARCH is littered with star-studded performances. Perhaps the initial standout from Monarch lies in the frontline protagonist, Cate Randa, played by Anna Sawai. Carrying the series’ modern arc, she truly showcases her range in a plethora of emotions as she tries to uncover a simple truth — what happened to her dad? That initial mystery lingers on as she recounts her survival during the devastating attack in San Francisco, as depicted in Godzilla (2014). The Big G’s influence is constantly seeping through her mind, despite not being there physically at times, such as the haunting scene in Tokyo in which she hides in an anti-Godzilla bunker and is not sure if she’s about to survive another Godzilla attack, or if it’s just a drill.
The big draw to the series, iconic Hollywood veteran Kurt Russell, is also a major plus to the show. Not only do you get the “Kurt Russell Vs. Godzilla” that fans are eating up leading to the release of this show, but you also get a layered character, who tiptoes the line of morality, the audience unsure of where he truly lies. Is he justified in his actions? Is he doing the right thing? What is Kurt Russell up to? Those mysteries lie ahead to be unraveled. From the other end of our timeline, performances by Wyatt Russell, Anders Holm, and Mari Yamamoto carry us into the origins of Monarch. All three are standouts, each providing a much-needed pillar within the lore of the MonsterVerse. I specifically was intrigued by Anders Holm’s portrayal of the younger version of John Goodman’s Bill Randa, from Kong: Skull Island, and how that man became the antagonistic, maniacal version of himself we see in the 2017 Kong film. All 3 are incredibly likable and add a nice nostalgic-feeling layer of mythos to the main cast’s Scooby-Dooing.
For those worried about flipping between two different timelines, two different sets of characters, and two different big meetups with Godzilla, fear not. The editing between the two cuts pretty seamlessly, with a particular favorite shot of mine being when Kurt stands in front of a projection screen, lining himself up with his past self, of course, played by his son, Wyatt Russell. Each episode is crisply edited to keep viewers on their toes, ending us each time with a desire to binge the entire thing. It’s hard for a streaming series to be digestible enough to capture long-term attention, but Shakman and crew have created a highly entertaining romp that gives enough Godzilla for the kaiju fans while maintaining interesting and likeable characters enough for casual viewers wanting something a bit more relatable and engaging.
I would like to let Godzilla fans know ahead of time that this show is more about the lasting impacts of Godzilla, and what it does to people, similar to films like Shin Godzilla. You will get your perfect moments of Godzilla, spanning from the 1950s to modern-day reappearances that add more situations to Godzilla’s timeline, but the show emphasizes the trauma and flashbacks our characters endure after witnessing such a massive, horrifying leveling of an entire city that would actually occur if such an attack were to hit stateside. You may just return to the site of the carnage from nearly ten years ago, over and over again. If that is up your alley, you may dig this series. Or, if you’re in it for Kurt Russell sharing the screen with Godzilla, you’ll get exactly that too.
Let’s talk about the kaiju, or otherwise known as “Titans” in-universe. You’ll be delighted to see some pretty cool-looking originals. The ice Titan that inhabits Alaska with a freezing beam and a need to feed on heat is a wonderful addition to the ever-growing roster of beasts that inhabit this world. Seeing familiar (and new!) faces in the cold opener of Skull Island with the returning John Goodman was also a treat. The Titans themselves *feel* important as well, serving as the main attraction, greeting our heroes as they traverse the Earth seeking impossible answers, with viewers along for the ride.
Overall, this series adds a much-needed layer of lore to the MonsterVerse and fleshes it out in a way the grandiose and huge-scope films could not. It portrays these gigantic, larger-than-life creatures as *Gods*, with us as ants that merely step in their way at inopportune times. We finally see the origins of the mysterious Monarch and are led on a huge, globe-spanning adventure, with us frequently questioning whether or not anyone’s truly doing the right thing. Godzilla and Monarch are huge presences, with all of their actions paving the way for every subsequent domino to topple over.
When this series was first announced, I was initially shocked to see Apple at the helm, but upon viewing, I am glad that they were willing to give us such an interesting and riveting chapter in the Hollywood saga of Godzilla. “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is a tense, mystery-filled epic. The series ambitiously brings us Godzilla and fantastical cryptozoology, while keeping the grounded tone from the earlier MonsterVerse films that is beloved by fans.
