AUTHUR THE KING (2024) – My rating: 7/10

Arthur the King is an adventure film directed by Simon Cellan Jones, written by Michael Brandt, and is based on a true event called “Arthur – The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home” by Mikael Lindnord. In the film, the captain of an adventure racing team befriends a wounded stray dog named Arthur, who accompanies the team on a grueling 435-mile (700-km) endurance race through the Dominican Republic. The trailer revealed a heartfelt story about a cute little dog in need. I was hooked from the onset. It was a very nice story.

In 2014, in Costa Rica, Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg), an American runner, and his adventure racing team get stuck on the first day after their leader makes the poor decision to kayak against the tide. Leo (Simu Liu), one of the members of the team, is outraged that Michael has ignored their opinions.

After a 3 year lapse in his career, in 2018, Michael is not satisfied with himself and decides to race one last time with the hope of retiring with a win. He chooses three teammates, Olivia (Nathalie Emmanuel), an expert free climber, former teammate Leo who is still harboring resentment over the past race decisions, and Chik (Ali Suliman), an older racer whose recovery from a knee injury is uncertain. They fly from the USA to the Dominican Republic for a 5-day race mostly through mountainous jungle terrain. On the second day of the race, Michael shares meatballs with a stray dog at the transition camp. Much later while in the middle of the jungle, the dog appears and continues to follow the team. Shocked as to how the dog got there, they decide to continue without stopping the dog from trailing along.

The film revolves around an extreme adventure race called Adventure Team Racing. This grueling race combines running, biking, climbing, kayaking, and other strenuous activities across treacherous terrains. The story follows an American team racing through the jungles, mountains, and rivers of the Dominican Republic. Their goal was to conquer the toughest terrain on Earth.

Amidst the race Arthur (the dog that Michael bonds with) proves more than just a companion; he warns the team of impending danger, potentially saving their lives. However, beyond this critical moment, it remains unclear why Arthur is so special. The race itself is intense, with breathtaking locations and nail-biting sequences. Yet, despite the adventure, you feel that the film lacks depth. As a viewer, you expected Arthur to participate in more life-saving events or play a pivotal role in securing victory. Still, “Arthur the King” manages to tug at the heartstrings, leaving you emotionally invested. After the film, stay tuned during the credits for additional pictures and information about the real-life characters—Michael, Arthur, and the team. Overall, I recommend “Arthur the King” to everyone — it’s currently playing in theaters. Check It Out!

Arthur the King made $3 million on its first day, including $825,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to make $22,211,792 Domestically, and $1,617,356 Internationally for a Worldwide gross of $23,829,148.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 76 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website’s consensus reads: “It’s hard to deny Arthur the King’s ability to tug at the heartstrings, although it may have been more effective if it had taken a subtler approach.”