Arthur the King

In 2015, Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) leads a team of extreme racers. His driven stubborn decision ends their race early. His combative second Leo (Simu Liu) posts an unflattering pic. It's 3 years later and he's struggling with normal life. He decides to race one last time. He recruits veteran racer Chik (Ali Suliman) with a bad knee, Olivia (Nathalie Emmanuel), and Leo who has since become a social media influencer. Olivia is only racing for her legendary climber father who is dying from cancer. Then there is a dog.

This is very fine. It's based on a true story. It is a standard underdog sports movie. Heck, they even have a dog. It is sweet. It is sincere. There are some good adventure thrills. The zip line scene looks great on top of the thrills. Again, it has a dog. It's great.

LIKES:

Great Pace

Fun Acting

Great Cinematography

Beautiful And Rigorous Setting

Music Elements Boost Emotion

Fantastic Dog Use

Writing Is Realistic

Decently Balanced Between Fiction and Fact

My likes boil down to great presentation of a story we've seen several times on the news with just that twist of unique flavor. Arthur the King caters well to the audience and brings an adorable story to life for just about every person to enjoy across the spectrum of emotions. A fantastically fun and family friendly tale that blends the Hollywood theatrics with a realistic base goes a long way to entertaining folks like me. The setting is gorgeous with camera work to capture the awe and delight of the island race that brings this cast together in ways that help mesh that authentic team/family role. Performances are fun, tight, and hold that Disney level feel, and the dog's inclusion adds even more character and an element that helps the laughs and the near-tears keep flowing. With the editing to further give those perfect shots and sounds, the movie excels in being one of those go see to feel better moments.

DISLIKES:

Cliché

Cutting Parts

Character Development is Mundane At Times

Mediocre Antagonists.

Predictable

Dislikes are going to be nitpicky and potentially illicit some negative responses, but that's kind of my job. Arthur the King will fall into the cliché role, something critics will find familiar, if not overdone, which leads to them feeling bored and listless. Such predictable antics are slightly off shot, but the trailers have laid the foundation for knowing how most of the story will go, meaning that the surprise element gets a tad diluted. Throw in editing that helps condense the five days into ninety minutes, and part of the adventure is taken away to give you quality of life and your time back. Characters have enough dissection to be engaging, but fall short of the perfect mix, choosing efficiency over meaty profiles. It's not the worst, but it could pack more punch like say Cool Runnings did. Even the antagonists need a little work, a little more connection and involvement to help establish the rivalry that they were going for. There are some other elements I can't say to avoid ruining the little mystery, but the movie being a bit simplistic and maintaining that family feel is going to drop scores for a pickier fanfare.

THE VERDICT For me, Arthur the King was quite enjoyable and certainly a solid installment in the library of just having fun with a light-hearted story. An incredible dog that did so much with a remarkable team is a solid mixture of just simple enjoyment in a tale with all the elements of movie magic thrown in. Solid performance by all members (especially the dog) will tug at heart strings and athletic stature alike, with editing that brings much of the race's excitement out in spades. True there are some editing choices and character directions that need tweaking, and the movie is very by the numbers in terms of predictability. But outside of that, Arthur the King's story is certainly a tale worth watching, enjoying, and just embracing in the energy and inspiration it puts out in such a tight and fun package. So grab the kids and the family, and get to the theater for this one if you can.

My scores are: Adventure: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

Fantastic film with superb direction. The landscapes are stunning, the acting is top-notch, and Arthur steals the show! It's a must-watch; you'll both smile and shed a few tears.. The performances are incredibly authentic, making every moment feel real and impactful. Arthur's portrayal is especially memorable, bringing depth and charisma to the screen. This movie is more than entertainment; it's an experience that stays with you, sparking conversations and leaving a lasting impression.................. Don't miss out on this masterpiece that promises smiles, tears, and an array of emotions in between.!!

Arthur the King knows the unbreakable bond between man & dog gives it a free pass and an added edge in everything it's doing, which it uses to full effect. It's very easy to get invested in with a plot propelled by forward momentum as the race takes up most of the run time and the struggle to save Arthur that follows only makes it more emotional and gripping.

Mark Wahlberg shows off a new skill by having a believable bond with his canine counterpart. He gets a good arc and is supported by Simu Liu, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Ali Suliman who makes for a strong core four. When Arthur joins it only gets better, and those earlier scenes where he's on his own are more impressive in some ways since all those lack human support.

Simon Cellan Jones directs with a fair bit of handheld camerawork to give it a sense of immediacy. Visually it's a little too grey but it's still nice to see so many natural locations and the zipline sequence in the middle stands out simply by being as tense as you'd expect. Kevin Matley's score saves the best for last, bringing the feels to ensure the ending is as lovely as possible.

I highly recommend watching the ESPN Sports Center documentary entitled "SC Featured: A Dog's Remarkable Journey to Find a Home" which details the true story of how Swedish adventure racer Mikael Lindnord and the dog he named Arthur came together in 2014 during an adventure race in Ecuador. That documentary was 13:54 in length and has much more emotional impact than this film which is dull in its storytelling and with one or two exceptions, emotionally flat. The film wanders off-topic (the dog) far too much, emphasizing heated and dull machismo far too much. The director also uses a hand-held cam frequently which takes me out of any film due to the shaky cam effect. Watch the documentary and observe the tears that roll down Mikael's face as he talks about saving Arthur -- there you will find the heart that this film lacks.