‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Is a Character-Driven Thrill for Godzilla Fans
4/5 character studies
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters takes us into a world that is less focused on the Godzilla of it all and more on the characters living in the aftermath. Set in two distinct timelines, Monarch revolves around the mystery of its characters and is less concerned with villainizing the monsters as other Godzilla-centric stories have done in the past.
Starting with Cate (Anna Sawai) as she is trying to find answers about her father, the series is a winding story featuring characters who refuse to tell the whole truth about situations. Cate and Kentaro (Ren Watabe) have to reckon with lies they’ve been told their entire lives, May (Kiersey Clemons) has to balance what she should and shouldn’t about herself to those closest to her, and the most mysterious of them all is Lee Shaw.
Played in two separate timelines by Wyatt Russell during the formation of Monarch and then by Kurt Russell much later on, Lee is one of the most interesting characters in the Godzilla universe. Lee works in both sides of the story because we never really know how to feel about him, but he’s surrounded by characters who are easier to root for. At the start of Monarch, we have Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) and William (Anders Holm). Later, it’s Cate and Kentaro. These characters and their journey to understanding Monarch as an organization and what beings like Godzilla want from the world really casts the series in an exceptional light.
More than that, focusing on a multi-generational story about Monarch and its involvement in the control of these creatures like Godzilla shows the humanity that people like Cate and her family have.
Centering the show in a human way
Often, stories about Godzilla sacrifice the human element to highlight the action. What I love about the latest era of these movies is that they have been grounded in the world of the people who have fallen in love with their “protectors.” Movies like Kong: Skull Island work because the characters are just as fascinating as whatever lurks in the depths of the island.
Monarch ends up letting us live with characters like Cate, May, and Kentaro as they use Lee to find answers about Monarch and what is going on with their father. It’s honestly hard to talk about this show without giving too much away because there’s so much of it that is just so great because of the mystery at its center.
The only parts of Monarch that can get confusing are the jumps back and forth in time at the start of the series. Without establishing that Lee is played by both Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, it might be hard to map out. Other than trying to find the rhythm of Monarch in the beginning, the show itself is an exciting mystery to unpack. It isn’t stuffed with monsters, but rather lets you sit with its characters.
Which is also a nice departure for the world of Kong, Godzilla, and their counterparts. Seeing the human side of these events makes for the appearances we do get of Godzilla and the other monsters that much more powerful.
Overall, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a wonderful continuation of the monsters universe and a must-watch.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
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