Well, everyone, today, we review a film by the name of Arthur The King! No, it is not another adaptation of the King Arthur story. And if you pay attention to the poster above, that should tell you enough. Well, today, we shall discuss a film that was based on a true story, and in which a character in this film was nicknamed Arthur, The King, for reasons that I won’t explain. You’ll just have to see this film to find out why. Anyway, let’s talk about this Arthur The King, shall we?
Plot: Following the loss of a race back in 2015, businessman, and racer Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) decides that he wants to give running a chance one last time by joining a 5-day race marathon in the Dominican Republic. He recruits a mountain climber named Olivia (Nathalie Emmanuel), and an older racer named Chiki (Ali Suliman). At the advice of his boss, Michael also recruits, reluctantly, a now celebrity figure named Leo (Simu Liu). As they’re racing by different sports through the mountain jungles of the Dominican Republic, they befriend a stray mutt at one of the transition camps. Would this new friendship with the dog just be a temporary one, or a lasting one? Also, did Michael, and his team win the race in the end?
Okay, first of all, what an incredible movie! I mean, for one, how could we not appreciate a movie that involves a man, or men, and a dog that also happens to be based on a true story? I mean we’ve had fictional stories like this such as Homeward Bound, Marley & Me, and films like those. And now this one comes out, and is based on actual events, in this case, ones that occurred almost a decade ago. Yeah, how often has that happened? Not to mention that this comes out in an era where we have many films that end up being prequels, sequels, remakes, and so on. So, to have something more original, particularly in this day and age, is a miracle in of itself. Granted, I’m excited to see what prequels like Mufasa: The Lion King, have in store come December of this year, but beside the point! Back to the topic of this film! This film could have most likely been a PG-rated film had it not been for some potentially inappropriate moments here, and there. Still, if adults don’t feel comfortable seeing this movie themselves, but not showing it to their younger ones quite yet, then no worries! Hopefully, as those kids are mature into their teen years, parents will be okay showing Arthur The King to them then. Anyway, Arthur The King, despite the PG-13 rating, and it feeling a little too adult at times as a result, Arthur The King is truly a heartwarming story. You’ll love every moment with Michael Light, and his team as they race through the art of different sports during the race in the Dominican Republic. And yeah, how could you not love the bond between the dog that Mike, and his team name Arthur, and Mike, and his teammates? It’s almost like Arthur, despite being a dog, might as well be a king anyway, and Michael, and his human friends, and teammates, Arthur’s knights. I know that might not make sense for a film that was based on actual events. Still, trust me when I say that as you watch this movie, you may understand why I say that. Honestly, the more people that watch this movie, the more likely that more will have an appreciation for dogs, or even other animals. It was also great to see Mark Wahlberg for the first time in a while. And yeah, the rest of the cast was awesome too. But some of the major highlights of Arthur The King are some of the lessons that can be taken from this film. There are most definitely some deep, and mature lessons to take away from this film, most notably ones like being willing to listen to the advice of others, self-sacrifice, and possibly even exploring options in different situations. Truthfully, it was these lessons that are not only valuable for the lessons, but also helped characters like Michael especially grow as a person over the course of this movie. Again, not going to say how to avoid spoilers. Still, hopefully, we as the audience will take away some valuable lessons from Michael, his family, friends, and even Arthur the dog himself. Well, I’m not sure how accurate this film was to the actual events that occurred in real life around a decade ago. Still, hopefully this movie was accurate in the best way possible. Oh, and be prepared for the ending of this film. Let’s just say that you may really like things turn out by the time that this film close.
And that’s my review for Arthur The King. Honestly, this film probably could have maybe been rated PG. Still, despite the more mature PG-13 rating, this film is worth seeing, and I’m sure kids may still like it more than dislike it. Arthur The King is truly one of a kind in that is really heartwarming, pulls at heartstrings, and plays with your emotions in any way possible. And let’s not forget the lessons to be gained from the film. If you haven’t seen this movie, but would be interested in something a little more different, and more fresh from the sequels, and remakes that have been mostly coming out as of recently, then all the more reason to see Arthur The King. You will truly love it from beginning to end. It has a great story, some good comedy, important lessons, and, of course, great characters. Please go see it if you haven’t yet. You will be truly surprised by this film. I’m not sure that I myself can recommend this film enough for you all. All I will say is to go see it, and see what you think!
Final Grade: A+
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