Although full of cliches, “Arthur the King” is a heartwarming film about a team of underdog adventure racers that stubble across a stray dog who they lovingly name King Arthur. The fact that this is based on a true story played on my emotions more than if the screenplay was an original. 

As a kid, I remember watching and keeping up with adventure races. The film focuses on the world championship, where teams of four must spend up to eight days following an over 700 km course. The rough terrain is physically demanding and challenging, as teams must walk, run, climb, mountain bike, kayak, and more. 

There were a lot of tense scenes, from injuries to a scary zip line incident, not to mention as Arthur’s health took ups and downs throughout the film because of his life as a stray. Although a movie needs drama and suspense and I’m sure some scenes were dramatized, I have a lot of respect for adventure races after seeing “Arthur the King.”

I also have respect for the actors, as working with animals is difficult, yet fun. Mark Walberg, who plays Michael, said the dog that was featured in the film was a great co-star who understood the actors’ emotions well. 

Ukai is the name of the dog who plays Arthur, and this is his debut on the big screen. 

The main character Micheal Light is down on his luck and so is Arthur. They rely on each other to succeed; Micheal lightens up and becomes protective over Arthur who is injured and starving and Arthur helps Micheal get media attention while racing, which helps his financial situation in the future. 

Micheal is a round character that starts out rude and harsh, but becomes a better person by the presence of a dog. The film is a reminder to be kind. 

I’m not going to spoil the ending, but movies about dogs usually make me cry and I only teared up a little. I enjoyed “Arthur the King” and I think it’s worth a watch.