Arthur the King (2024) is directed by Simon Cellan Jones and stars Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ali Suliman, Juliet Rylance, Rob Collins, Alani Ilongwe, Paul Guilfoyle, and Bear Grylls. The film tells the true story of Michael (Wahlberg), a losing adventure racer who comes out of retirement for one last race—his final chance to win. Trekking through the jungles of the Dominican Republic, Michael and his team befriend Arthur, a stray dog who begins to follow them along their journey. As they experience various hardships, Arthur and Michael develop an unbreakable bond they could never have predicted. 

Wahlberg is a fitting choice as this kind of physically fit endurance racer. Unfortunately, he’s once again weak as a dramatic actor. His interpretation of intensity boils down to opening his eyes wide and talking fast. Thankfully, the capable supporting cast helps to carry some of the weight. The script takes its time to develop the various members of Michael’s team so none of them feel disposable. Simu Liu shines as the team’s hot-shot social media star whose diva attitude frequently clashes with Michael’s head-down style. It’s no wonder Marvel chose him as one of their future centerpieces as the comic book character, Shang-Chi; He carries a palpable leading man presence. Ali Suliman is also a strong addition as the team’s aging legend who has the strongest mind but the weakest body. The weakest of the four, unfortunately, is Nathalie Emmanuel as the team’s hotshot rock climber whose mentor father is dying of cancer. I think this is, because, besides Wahlberg, she’s asked to carry a good portion of the film’s emotional weight. The thing is, she’s simply just not up to the task. She often underplays moments of danger which diminishes any tension they would otherwise have. All this being said, for better or worse, the well-formed characters are the movie’s saving grace. 

The film’s extreme race format was actually a lot more compelling than I was expecting and feels somewhat unique within the sports movie subgenre. I think it was a smart choice by the screenwriter to blend a heart-warming dog film with an intense survival sports story. Either one on its own would feel a tad generic, but this hybrid approach allows the film to feature the best aspects of both genres while avoiding a majority of their laziest tropes.  That being said, the movie eventually leads to an ending that has nothing particularly new or interesting to offer. It’s consistently entertaining, but there isn’t a single surprise or subversion. Its emotional manipulation is also predictable and therefore never as effective as it intends to be. You might shed a tear or two, but you’re not going to be surprised as to why you’re doing so – you’ll see it coming from a mile away. 

Overall, this is a completely inoffensive adventure film that has little new to offer but is undeniably well-made and features cool locations as well as well-formed characters. The dog element is predictably manipulative but retains a sense of realism that keeps things from being too over-the-top sentimental. The movie is a perfect example of delivering what was sold in the marketing – nothing more, nothing less. If you want a feel-good true story, it’s sure to satisfy. That being said, you’ve probably seen this kind of thing 100 times before. C+