With its UK launch on Amazon Prime yesterday, I'm certain many people were as quick to press play as we were at Burn Series to watch Arthur the King.
We watched the film from two perspectives: first, as seasoned adventure racers with experience in expedition-style racing, and second, as a feel-good movie to enjoy with the family. I even let my 7- and 9-year-olds stay up way past bedtime for this one. They were riveted, their silence occasionally broken by gasps of panic—like when Arthur barely made it or when the team dangled precariously from a zip wire deep in the remote jungles of the Dominican Republic.
I’d like to start the review with this point: in a real adventure race, you’d never find a team casually stumbling upon a zip wire, hooking on, and zipping across with such reckless abandon. While zip lines are indeed a popular and exciting element in many adventure races, they’re always managed with extreme caution. Safety staff are present to ensure every racer is securely harnessed before taking the plunge.
Climbing a near-vertical rock face with a bike strapped to your backpack is something you'd never encounter in a real race, no matter how skilled a climber a team member might be.
However, it made for a thrilling cliffhanger in the film. My mother was on the edge of her seat, exclaiming, "Oh my God!" and asking, "Is it really like that, Maria?" From that perspective, it delivered what the audience wanted.
The team dynamics, including communication breakdowns, fallouts, and differing opinions, were portrayed quite realistically. A team member wandering off in the wrong direction, unable to reason with themselves or the rest of the team, felt especially true to life. It's incredible how sleep deprivation can completely alter a person's behaviour. While the film touched on the impact of sleep deprivation, it didn’t fully capture its extreme effects. It's common to go without sleep on the first night, followed by perhaps an hour per night, supplemented by a few 15- to 20-minute power naps along the way.
Dehydration, especially in a jungle environment, was portrayed very realistically, as was how the team supported each other with food, water, and critical decision-making. This aspect is crucial in expedition adventure racing, and I thought it was well depicted.
I’d also like to highlight how the female team member often serves as the backbone in such situations. Women tend to manage the highs and lows of endurance and sleep deprivation more effectively, and Nathalie Emmanuel captured this dynamic perfectly.
I felt that Simu Liu's character was more about adding drama than reflecting reality. It would be rare to have someone like him on a top-performing team, focusing more on social media and self-promotion than on winning the race.
Mark Wahlberg did a wonderful job of showcasing how a dog can truly become a man’s best friend, and the meatball hook added a perfect touch to the storyline. It's hard to believe that was actually true! Even as a part-time vegetarian, I must admit that a meatball during a race is probably one of the best snacks you could have!
The film is based on the true story detailed in Mikael Lindnord's memoir, "Arthur - The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home." Lindnord, a seasoned adventure racer and captain of the Swedish adventure racing team, recounts his extraordinary encounter with Arthur during the 2014 Adventure Racing World Championship in Ecuador. His leadership and compassion were pivotal in ensuring Arthur's safety and well-being throughout the race, making this heartwarming tale of resilience and companionship all the more compelling.
I'd like to conclude that even though, Mikael Lindnord gets the most recognition, it would not have been achieved without his teammates, Simon Niemi, Karen Lundgren and Staffan Björklund.
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