In ARTHUR THE KING, an unbreakable bond is forged between pro adventure racer Michael Light and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur over the course of a grueling 10-day, 435-mile racecourse. An “inspiring story for the whole family” (Rachel Wagner, Rachel’s Reviews), and based on true events, ARTHUR THE KING follows Light, desperate for one last chance to win, as he convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. Pushing the team to the outer limits of endurance and sacrifice, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty, and friendship truly mean.

For in-depth thoughts on Arthur the King, please see my colleague M.N. Miller’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings Arthur the King to Blu-Ray with a terrific 1080p video presentation in its original 2.40:1. The transfer perfectly captures the dazzling environmental expanses with a vibrant natural color palette lovingly saturated on screen. There are some bold splashes of colors within the clothing, locations, and production design which makes for a resplendent image. The skin tones are natural with a tremendous amount of detail present throughout.

Highlights show no indications of blooming, and the black levels are as deep as necessary with no significant digital noise. There are clear textural details that add a healthy dimension to the frame. The presentation provides a dynamic amount of depth on display in the various environments. While we would not skip a 4K UHD Blu-Ray if it were ever to materialize, Lionsgate has given this one a perfectly good high definition presentation.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a robust Dolby Atmos track that brings this exciting narrative to nuanced life. Dialogue always comes through clearly with no competing element ever drowning out important information. The effective Kevin Matley score saturates the speakers with perfect fidelity alongside some songs that work well with the picture. While you may not have huge explosions or the like, this is still a pretty exciting adventure that comes through in the low end to deliver vital texture when it is supposed to.

With the Atmos track, you get the addition of overhead speaker accompaniment, and the channels really come to life in the details of nature and the music which allows the channels to render with purpose. Ambient sounds such as flowing water and wildlife are precisely placed in the rear channels. The audio track delivers the sonic experience that this story deserves. There are optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are three commentary tracks provided for the film that all explore the creation of the film, how it compares to real-life events, the shooting locations, the challenges during the shoot, and more.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Simon Cellan Jones and Author Mikael Lindnord

- Audio Commentary #2: Producers Tucker Tooley and Tessa Tooley

- Audio Commentary #3: Producer Mark Canton and Executive Producer Dorothy Canton

Finding Arthur: A nine-minute look at the lovable pup at the center of the story.

A Love Letter to Arthur: A nearly six-minute look at the true story of Arthur and the process of bringing his journey to the screen.

A Dog’s Journey – Making Arthur the King: A 12-minute featurette on the efforts to bring this movie to life including the shooting locations, the casting process, the direction of Simon Cellan Jones, the intense training, and more.

Best Friends PSA: A minute-long video that encourages audiences to adopt their own lovable pet from a shelter or rescue group.

Theatrical Trailer: The nearly two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Arthur the King is a heartwarming and inspiring story that proves itself to be a delightful watch for family members young and old. The feature is not pushing the boundaries of cinema, but it capably tells its story with finesse and confidence. Wahlberg anchors the story pretty well alongside a solid cast, but it is the titular pup that steals the show. You know what to expect from this outing, and it delivers on its promise within its ambitions. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and some nice special features. This is worth checking out if it sounds interesting to you. Recommended

Arthur the King will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 28, 2024. The film is currently available on Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.