Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a grand, spectacular, and arresting adventure series that is deeply immersive, drawing you completely into its world. With a deep bench of actors, stunning visual effects, and creative nonlinear storytelling, the series grows more fun, more suspenseful, and more action-packed with each passing episode. This kaiju-inspired streaming sensation grabs you and rarely lets go.
However, what sets the MonsterVerse series apart are its deeply human, flawed characters. That is not something you necessarily expect from a show so heavily invested in intellectual property featuring Frost Vark, Ion Dragon, Brambleboar, and, of course, Godzilla. That is the trick the creators learned in the first season. They reveal these iconic creatures at carefully chosen moments, giving their appearances even greater meaning.
Though the second season, arriving after a long two-year wait, drops viewers into the action with jaw-dropping sequences featuring King Kong on Skull Island, it rivals anything you might see in a CGI spectacle on the big screen. The sophomore effort is remarkably self-assured and reined in. Then, when Monarch: Legacy of Monsters lets its creature-feature flag fly, it becomes a Titan-sized achievement on the small streaming screen.
The second season continues the storyline of the Randa family’s reunion. It also does a wonderful job of bringing together the worlds of the ultra-secret government agency Monarch. This agency finds itself neck-deep in Apex Cybernetics’ operations on Skull Island. And if you haven’t checked out the Skull Island Chamber of Commerce website, yes, the island is known as the birthplace of King Kong. So, get your cameras ready.
Not just for the Eighth Wonder of the World, but for the jaw-dropping Titan X, who makes quite the impression. Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) is now back in the present day after falling through a rift portal into the Hollow Earth. Now the grandmother of Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and Cate (Shōgun’s Anna Sawai), and mother to Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira), she becomes central to the chaos. This happens when Cate attempts to save Shaw (Kurt Russell), throwing a wrench into their plans.
Much of the show begins to feel bogged down by Monarch’s technical jargon, particularly in scenes involving government operative Tim (Joe Tippett) and Deputy Director Verdugo (Mirelly Taylor). Though this is arguably necessary in any science fiction series. Then there is May (Kiersey Clemons), whose role in season two seems reduced to being rescued by Kentaro in nearly every episode. Her storyline feels more like an obligation than a natural progression.
The show thrives in the flashbacks featuring younger versions of Lee Shaw (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Wyatt Russell) and Bill Randa (Anders Holm of Workaholics). Alongside Yamamoto’s Keiko, they give the series emotional depth. While many may find these scenes unnecessary compared to the present-day storyline, they provide a solid and nuanced foundation that holds the narrative upright.
Of course, some may object that this prevents the series from moving forward or reinventing itself. However, the show has no real need to do so. In the streaming world, most series only last three seasons anyway. I would also point out that, like last season, the end of season two feels more like a setup for the next chapter, which, frankly, is a bit of a dirty trick to pull on your audience.
However, those are minor quibbles for a series like this. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ second season is worth watching because it is a grand spectacle, thrilling and immersive, unlike any show on streaming that has tentpole ambitions. The series always swings big, delivering blockbuster entertainment that embraces its scale and brings cinematic fun to the small screen.
You can stream Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ second season exclusively on Apple TV+ starting February 27. A new episode will be released each week up until May 1st! All ten episodes reviewed.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters swings big, bringing blockbuster entertainment that embraces its scale, delivering cinematic fun to your small screen.
I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
