This sports drama from director Simon Kellen Jones was released nationwide in March of 2024. It shares the true story of a long-distance adventure racer who adopts a stray dog named Arthur during the middle of an epic 435-mile endurance contest through the Dominican Republic.
In what feels like his 12th biographical picture, Mark Wahlberg stars as an aging thrillseeker, who leaves his family behind in Colorado to chase glory one last time. Literally, ultimately, Mark is Mark, his familiar charm, grit, and somewhat still-to-delivery unfold display.His character exhibits so much confidence that he seems downright unbothered by all the stressful and dangerous situations he and his team come upon.His performance isn't great, but it's enough.
Their relationship is the bedrock of the picture, and jokes aside, it thankfully works great. Seymoo Lee, Nathaniel Emanuel, and Ali Suleiman do commendable work with the heavily physical roles as Mark's initially skeptical but helpful race partners, while Juliet Rylan and Paul Gilfoil anchor the domestic scenes with small but emotionally integral roles.
And providing some helpful exposition as the in-world race commentator is none other than survival expert and TV presenter, Bear Grills.Over the next 10 days, these athletes will cross 400 miles climbing and biking.The 100 and 7 minute story is a very formulaic and predictable one.It moves along exactly as you'd expect it to, but that doesn't mean the journey isn't worth taking.
Indeed, a good deal of the competition sequences are legitimately tense.A scene where Wahlberg and Emmanuel are stranded on a zipline high above the Dominican rainforest is an absolute nail-biter, a gripping sequence that feels reminiscent of the excellent cold open from Cliffhanger.
Jones directs these sequences with an almost documentary approach, handhelds, GoPro's, mud and rain on the lenses.The viewer implicitly becomes a participant in the action, giving the film a very raw and authentic feel. Couple that with GPS-fed map updates, and it sometimes feel like you're watching an actual sporting event and not a movie.
The on-location photography is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the production.But things begin to shift when the titular doggo shows up. But most of the inter-human conflict feels fabricated and likely not based on true events.Thankfully, these moments are few and far between.But then when you wrap up the proceedings with a fun montage of real-life photographs set to one republic's run, it's hard not to leave with a smile on your face.
Unlike the physical endurance test these athletes put themselves through, Arthur the king is not a particularly challenging experience.But it doesn't make any missteps either, and with the exception of one unnecessary f-bomb, it's definitely appropriate for the whole family, giving kids and adults plenty to root for.
As a sports movie, this is an interesting watch.As a dog story, it's only average. Talking about a motivational film about competitiveness and unlikely friendships, I think Arthur the King was a good.