Parents' Guide to

Arthur the King

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Exciting, heartwarming real-life dog adventure has swearing.

Movie PG-13 2024 90 minutes
Arthur the King Movie Poster: Mark Wahlberg and a shaggy, light brown dog look out into a forest

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Arthur on a kayak with Mikael and Liam
    1:10
  • Arthur the King Movie: Mark Wahlberg sits next to a shaggy, brown dog outside
  • Arthur the King Movie: A shaggy, brown dog sits on a small boat full of adventurers

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 22 parent reviews

Jack M.
Jack M. Parent of 8-year-old
March 8, 2024
age 5+

A touching story of friend between humans and their adoptive dog

I took my niece and nephew to see an early screening of Arthur the King and they absolutely loved it. It’s typically hard to get them to sit through a full movie but their eyes were glued to the screen during this one. When I took them home afterwards, they would not leave their dog alone. To boot, the movie is well-acted, exciting, and really tugs at the heartstrings, particularly those of dog lovers like us. It’s an excellent choice for any upcoming family movie night!
Jeff H.
Jeff H. Adult
March 8, 2024
age 5+

Good movie to take the family over the weekend! Appropriate for all ages.

I recently took my daughter to an early screening of 'Arthur the King,' and I was thoroughly impressed by how well it caters to audiences of all ages. This movie is a fantastic choice for family outings, be it on a Friday or a Saturday night. It's rated PG-13, but parents can rest easy knowing that the content is appropriate for kids of any age. The movie has everything you would want. It’s exciting and heartwarming moments, making it universally appealing. Younger children will be captivated by the adventurous plot and the very cute dog, while older kids and adults will appreciate the depth of the characters. Everyone will find themselves rooting for Arthur and his now found friends. The film's ability to engage and entertain the entire family is its greatest strength. I highly recommend 'Arthur the King' for a family movie night that everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, will enjoy and cherish. The movie is also a based on a true story which makes it even better! Go see it!
See all 22 parent reviews

What's the Story?

While participating in a 10-day, 435-mile adventure race in the Dominican Republic, Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) befriends a hungry stray dog and names him ARTHUR THE KING. As Michael's team pushes their limits on their harsh trek through the country, Arthur proves to be much more than a companion, ultimately becoming an invaluable teammate.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (22 ):
Kids say (11 ):

There's nothing better than a good story about a great dog, and Arthur's tale warms the soul. But while the marketing campaign suggests that Arthur the King has a light tone, the film actually deals with some pretty grown-up stuff, including failure, career humiliation, marriage, and money woes. It spends quite a bit of time setting up Michael's situation, only offering a quick peek of the pup in the first third of the film—which may be hard for impatient kids. Additionally, Arthur has been severely abused, and even if you know how the story ends, it's an emotional journey that may overwhelm children.

But for families who can handle potential fidgeting and some teary moments early in the film, the second half will be a wonderful reward. Michael's story isn't well known, adventure racing is a survival sport, and many dog movies end sadly, so the movie is able to build real suspense. Director Simon Cellan Jones is in full control, making sure that viewers will be holding their breath when the team is in trouble and then releasing the tension at exactly the right time. It's clear from the beginning that Michael is a good guy, but he needs to work on some things. And he does, growing into a better person and leader in front of our eyes. He and his team are impressive athletes: Their ability to dig deep, run faster, climb higher, hold tighter, and fearlessly face the unknown while dealing with injuries on no sleep is completely inspiring. But it ultimately all comes down to street mutt Arthur: how he looks out for the team, and how they look out for him. This true story is so special and wonderful that you and your kids may never look at a dog the same way again.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Michael and his team demonstrate humility, integrity, courage, compassion, and perseverance in Arthur the King. Do you consider them role models? Why, or why not?

  • How does Michael use failure as fuel? How can you transform negative experiences into future positive outcomes?

  • In real life, Michael's team was an all-White, all-Swedish team of similarly aged people. Why do you think the filmmakers chose to make Michael from Colorado rather than Sweden, and his American teammates Black, Asian, and Latino? Why is representation important?

  • How does Michael's leadership style change over the course of the story? Why did his team fail in the beginning? Did your idea of teamwork change after seeing the film? In the final race, is Michael's team successful? Why, or why not?

  • Why are movies about dogs perennially popular? What skills do dogs have that make them helpful companions to humans?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate