Even to this very day, the colonization and eventual gentrification of the islands of Hawai’i is still a controversial subject. It’s hardly a secret that many Native Hawaiians feel their cultural identity and even their very homeland are slowly being stripped away from them, and that’s frankly evident through the lack of representation in the entertainment industry as a whole. Movies like Lilo & Stitch and TV shows like Hawaii Five-0 are great, but they’re all still being told from a very Western perspective, and most mainstream entertainment rarely ever delves deep into the complex history and culture of Hawai’i. That’s a historic wrong that Chief of War hopes to right. Co-created by box office megastar Jason Momoa and his frequent collaborator Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, the clear intent of the Apple TV+ series is to craft a gripping, large-scale historical epic in the same vein of Game of Thrones and Vikings, capturing both the bygone beauty and overlooked brutality of several hundred years ago — and it wants to do all of that by shining a light on Hawaiian history and culture like never before, making Chief of War the perfect new historical epic for those who want a particular itch scratched while they wait for Shōgun Season 2.
‘Chief of War’ Features the Role Jason Momoa Was Born To Play

In addition to being the show’s co-creator and executive producer, Jason Momoa also stars in Chief of War as Ka’iana — a real-life figure from Hawaiian history. Following a deadly conflict with the notorious explorer Captain James Cook, Ka’iana hopes that his days of war and fighting are over, as he tries to live a peaceful existence alongside his family on the island of Kauai. Things take a turn when Ka’iana is convinced by his uncle, King Kahekilli of Maui (Temuera Morrison), to take part in a growing campaign to unite Hawai’i’s islands, leading to a globe-trotting adventure that will leave the once-peace-seeking adventurer on a new path. Playing an athletic, vengeance-fueled warrior with a heart of gold isn’t exactly new territory for Momoa as an actor, but his lead performance in Chief of War is easily among the Game of Thrones alum’s best. While Ka’iana starts this tale as a fairly straightforward abstainer from the Hero’s Journey call, he soon proves to be a much more complex protagonist, particularly as he learns more about his homeland’s wartime politics and the barbaric activities in the world beyond Hawai’i’s shores. The engaging sub-narratives of the rest of Ka’iana’s family and future Hawaiian queen consort of Hawai’i, Ka’ahumanu (Luciane Buchanan), also showcase Momoa’s ability as a writer, proving he’s much more than a comic book movie actor like Aquaman or Lobo. Speaking of Aquaman, Chief of War also reunites Momoa with his DCEU co-star Temeura Morrison, who gleefully chews up the scenery as the mad king Kahekilli. Similarly, Cliff Curtis also continues to bring a great level of antagonistic bravado to the world of television with his character, further evidence that KAOS was cancelled far too soon. Those presences don’t even account for the threat of European settlers coming to Hawai’i, so it does sometimes feel like Chief of War is trying to do too much with too many characters, particularly on the villain side. Setting up storylines and conflicts for future seasons is all well and good, but the series could have benefited from spending more time with the season’s main antagonist instead of jumping back and forth between three different parties. It also would have helped a great deal to flesh out some of the other supporting characters who aren’t given as much time for growth and development.
‘Chief of War’ Is Yet Another Drop-Dead Gorgeous Show From Apple TV+

If Apple TV+ has a specific person in charge of the overall look of their shows, give them an Emmy right now, as Chief of War is yet another visually stunning show from a streamer that can’t seem to miss. Filming on location in Hawai’i and New Zealand not only adds an extra layer of authenticity that is lacking in similar historical shows, but also leads to some truly breathtaking shots of these large, sweeping landscapes, most untouched by the modern world. Both the CGI spectacles and the practical set design are top-notch, with everything from period-accurate costumes to handcrafted weapons making for a highly visceral and immersive experience. Format-wise, Chief of War does follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned comps above quite a bit, choosing to spend the bulk of its time focusing on the day-to-day operations, circumstances, and most importantly, societal politics of the historical setting. There’s even a major plotline that sees the characters try to use modern weaponry from the outside world to gain an advantage in their domestic conflicts, which seems highly reminiscent of FX’s Shōgun. That’s not really a major complaint, given this is based on actual events, but it will still likely be noticed by fans of the genre. This focus on worldbuilding does mean the action sequences are more spaced out, but when they hit, they don’t disappoint. Nothing even comes close to comparing to Chief of War’s climactic finale, which might just feature the most impressive large-scale battle to be put on television since Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards. The show’s team clearly put everything they had into this episode, with everything from the cinematography, fight choreography, and acting making for a top-notch conclusion, making the clear case that Chief of War just gets better and better every episode. It’s a tried-and-true example of saving the best for last, and it leads to a satisfying conclusion for a promising follow-up season.
‘Chief of War’s Cultural Ties Successfully Help the Show Stand Out From the Pack

Image via: Apple TV+

A good chunk of this review has been spent comparing Chief of War to similar historical epics, and from varying plotlines to an artistic opening title sequence, those parallels do exist. However, a great show’s biggest goal is to do enough to stand out from the crowd. Chief of War certainly matches the competition in terms of scale and ambition, but its true secret to success is how it boosts and exemplifies a culture that has been underrepresented at best and misrepresented at worst in the entertainment sphere. There is virtually no movie or show that embraces and explores Hawaiian culture and history like Chief of War does. As with any of these somewhat ironically called historical epics, varying levels of disbelief suspension are required. That doesn’t stop Chief of War from feeling like a culturally significant series, as this could very well be the start of something special that is as engaging to explore as it is entertaining to watch. Bringing an often overlooked point in world history to life is a greater achievement than any review score that could be given, but hopefully, positive word-of-mouth will be enough to bolster a second season to see what Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett might have planned next. The first two episodes of Chief of War premiere on Friday, August 1.

Chief of War

Chief of War is a visually stunning start that charts a course to a promising future for Jason Momoa’s ambitious historical project.

Release Date

August 1, 2025

Network

Apple TV+

Pros & Cons

A career-defining lead performance from Jason Momoa.
Breathtaking visuals from start to finish.
Each episode is better than the last, ending in one of the best final battles in TV history.
Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis make for entertaining villains…

…though the bouncing back and forth between them undercuts supporting character development.