This new Apple TV+ show, set in the same universe as GODZILLA (2014), KONG: SKULL ISLAND (2017), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019), and GODZILLA VS. KONG (2021) was somewhat off my radar before it premiered. I blame a large chunk of that on the AMPTP dragging their feet and not agreeing to the strike demands of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, but I’m still surprised Apple didn’t put more promotions into it. I’m a lifelong Godzilla-King Kong-Mothra fan, and I think the last I heard of this show was when it was first announced. Market to me, Apple. I’m your built-in audience!
Once I found out it was streaming, I couldn’t wait to see the monsters in action. The show bounces between multiple timelines, allowing us to possibly see more of the titans that were killed during the most recent run of films in the past. In a fun casting move, Kurt Russell plays the older version of his real-life son Wyatt Russell’s character. A strong international cast makes up the rest of the main and supporting roles. And that is mostly where the good stops. The rest is far from bad. It’s just…boring.
With a show called LEGACY OF MONSTERS, I want monsters! Titans! Kaiju! We get a couple of glimpses here and there, but the rest is all narrative exposition and introductions to the large cast, and it barely held my interest after nearly two hours.
There’s also an issue of how the timeline lays out. Kurt Russell in 2015 looks too young to have been in his 20s or 30s in the 1950s. Anders Holm plays the younger version of John Goodman’s character in SKULL ISLAND and their timelines don’t match either. This probably doesn’t bother most people, but these discrepancies could have been easily avoided.
The few scenes with monsters we get are fun and look great. I hope all of this exposition is leading to something bigger and better. The very beginnings of Monarch and the events leading up to the discovery of the Titans sure aren’t as fun as watching them fight with each other and torment the humans. Maybe this isn’t your mom’s Godzilla show, but I hope it becomes that.
MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS is supposed to stream every Friday on Apple TV+, but so far, episodes have dropped early.
