Godzilla streaming: What is this new series about the world of giant monsters?

What is it about?

Two siblings follow in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connections to a secret organization known as the Monarch. Clues lead them to a world of monsters and eventually to the parallel world of army officer Lee Shaw, set in the 1950s and half a century later, where the monarch is threatened by Shaw’s knowledge. This dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and how epic, life-changing events can unfold in our lives.

Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters, series created by Chris Black and Matt Fraction with Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Savaim… available on Apple TV+ and MyCanal

A Family Affair (and Monsters)

An integral part of the MonsterVerse that began with 2014’s Godzilla, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the focus isn’t on Godzilla or the other “Titans” — who sometimes use our big cities as a way to express their rage — but on The SHIELD-type organization. that he watches and studies them, namely the monarch.

The series revolves around two different axes. One is set in the past, tracing the origins of the organization through the eyes of a young army officer, Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell), and a younger version of Kong: Skull Island character William Randa, played by John Goodman in a cameo at the beginning. series, then Anders Holm in his updated version.

The second act takes place shortly after Godzilla’s first appearance in San Francisco (in the 2014 reboot, directed by Gareth Edwards) and features a young woman named Kate (Anna Sawai) traveling to Tokyo to find out the last details of her eccentric father. They thought he was dead.

Along the way, he discovers a brother he never knew existed, Kentaro (Ren Watabe), and clues to a mysterious connection between his family and the monarch. In order to solve their father’s many mysteries, they must connect with an expat computer hacker, May (Kirsey Clemons), and an old man who likes to name his secrets, you guessed it, Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell, Wyatt’s father). ).

Not really Godzilla

The problem with series based on Godzilla, or anything based on Godzilla, is that the humans are usually the weak point. Everyone loves to be amazed by the Dantesque scenes of destruction, angry monsters that scare people and a big dose of adrenaline. But the TV series doesn’t have the same budget as a blockbuster, we have to focus on the characters and in this case their family secrets. And this is not the main attraction of the series about the world of Godzilla.

Make no mistake, Apple and Legendary are putting a lot of resources into it — which shows on the screen — but big shows are pretty rare. This means that, unfortunately, monsters are few and far between. In the five episodes we’ve been able to watch, the Titans we see are mostly torn apart in a strange chase between man and beast, with plenty of anticipation between them.

So what remains is a lot of rumours. This is especially noticeable in Kate’s story, which resembles an intimate arthouse movie mixed with a monster movie. It’s an interesting concept that brings together two parts of a family in the midst of a fantastical tragedy. But the characters of Kate and Kentaro have nothing to do but complain and run.

Two on one

However, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also has a major advantage: two Russells for one character. They play a fun father-son trick by playing younger and older versions of the same character. In flashbacks, White is a capable leader, a no-nonsense boy scout who enjoys jungle adventures and tries to reconcile his dual loyalties to his military leaders and the more altruistic Monarch founders.

But it’s Kurt Russell with his movie star presence who really helps beyond the first few episodes of the series. Even on the cusp of his 70s, he’s still alive and kicking (the show’s 90-year-old remark is ignored because he has good genes, a joke only he can understand) and he leads his motley crew of youngsters. Scooby-Doos well. In the end, it’s the boss of the group who gives the series the most fun! It is up to everyone to form their own opinion on this series, remember, it is very well made.

The first two episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters are available starting November 17 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode per week.