proved to be disappointingly predictable and unsatisfying. I just couldn't take Mark Wahlberg seriously in this role. My emotional connection was primarily drawn from memories of dogs I've lost over the years rather than the film's merits. Its manipulative nature, coupled with a formulaic and uninspired storyline, left much to be desired. Despite my investment in the dog's fate, I found myself torn between genuine concern and eye-rolling at the movie's cheesiness. The action scenes and the race through the jungle failed to engage, leaving me indifferent except for my attachment to the dog. Even those moments felt contrived, like the CGI-laden scene of the dog struggling in the water. The characters were grating, and the dialogue seemed aimless. Frustration and disinterest nearly led me to abandon the film, but the hope for the dog's well-being kept me going, albeit reluctantly. While not abysmal, Arthur the King falls short, characterized by its annoyance, cheesiness, manipulation, and lack of originality. While I understand it's based on true events and supposedly stays faithful to them, I believe with improved direction, this film had the potential to be significantly better in numerous aspects.

Yo se yo se, tengo debilidad por las películas basadas en hechos reales, pero sí adicional incluyen a un perro me ganaron. En esta historia basada en hechos reales conocemos a Mike un corredor a campo traviesa que busca su última oportunidad para ganar una competencia. Arma su equipo, pero lo que no espera es que un perro lo seguirá por kilómetros y todo por lealtad. Buen ritmo de película y un par de lagrimas botaras, pero es una historia con gran moraleja que vale la pena ver si o si.

Arthur the King: I feel like its been a while since I've watched an actual feel-good movie. Desperate for one last chance to win, Michael Light convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. As the team gets pushed to the outer limits of endurance, a dog named Arthur comes along for the ride, redefining what victory, loyalty and friendship truly means. Just like every other dog movie, the story evolves around the relationship between the lead and the dog. However, there's a lot more to the story in this one; from the whole adventure, to every character's personal backstory, and their progression in life. Now I definitely got emotionally attached to the dog and wanted the team as a whole to win however you really can't get invested in each characters story. Something that really stood out to me was that the movie was filled with amazing and beautiful natural shots. Now although the script was pretty weak at many points with a lot of cliché lines, there were some scenes where you would really feel the tension rising as if you are with the characters on that adventure. Overall, a pretty enjoyable adventure/ feel-good real life story with a little bit of flaws that can be ignored. Score:7/10

ARTHUR THE KING is a good movie, but unfortunately, not a great one. I have to admit that I have always been a sucker for a good animal film. From popular family-friendly films such as BENJI and FREE WILLY to the under-seen DUMA (Check out my review here) and THE BEAR, when this film genre works, it can pull on the viewers heartstrings in a way that no other can. The problem with this film, though, is that it takes too long to get to the story that everyone will be coming to see. Advertised as a movie centered around a dog that becomes friends with and joins an extreme sports team on their final time out at the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic, the movie takes close to an hour to set up the sport and one of the central characters, the dog is left behind, mostly forgotten (very much like the character in the film, a homeless dog that lives on the street, ignored by most). What makes the movie still worth seeing, though, is that when Arthur finally becomes a major part of the story, the film finds its way and becomes an endearing and sometimes emotional experience. The character, Arthur, is the heart and soul of the movie and you can feel his absence until he finally arrives on the scene, bringing everything to a satisfying second half. For recommendations of unseen, underseen and forgotten films, check out the website Underexposed Cinematic Treasures. underexposedcinematictreasures.com

Just as Mark Wahlberg starred in the drama based on true events Deepwater Horizon, this time he brings us the incredible story of a canine hero who accompanies a group of athletes in the Dominican Republic. The cast was well put together, since it's clear that the group at the head of the plot withstands the inclemencies of the script well, at least on screen. Yes, we know that everything is lightened with the magic of cinema, but that doesn't mean that there are roles that are more physically demanding than others. The most sporting part of the story is quite attractive and entertaining for the general audience, as there are elements of adventure, suspense and drama very well executed by the aforementioned cast. The locations are perfect, and the rest of the technical elements decently support an almost round film. And I say almost, because when we reach the third act is where, in my opinion, the problems in the script arise. I think there is an excessive use of drama, almost reaching levels of emotional blackmail for an audience that didn't need it at all. Yes, the film perhaps narrates the real events that occurred, but it definitely had the drama quota that was exceeded for a story and a group of actors that do not measure up. Now, putting that aside, Arthur the King is entertaining and a pleasant cinematic surprise to watch with the family.