The Golden Child (1986)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

An attractive, strange Asian woman proclaims you're the "chosen one". A little Asian boy astrally projects himself outside your window. A demon disguised as a man burns a mark in your arm with his fingernail... that's strange, but it is Los Angeles. That pretty much was the reaction of Jarell Chandler (Eddie Murphy). I'm not saying that that is the reason I didn't like the movie, but it was a big contributor. I understand that the movie was fantasy, but to Jarell, and the rest of the otherwise normal citizens of L.A., these events were admittedly not normal. So how in the world was his reaction so tame? Jarell Chandler's indifferent response summed up Eddie Murphy's performance. Eddie Murphy wasn't classic Eddie Murphy. He had a few good lines but this was easily one of his worst movies. I never saw Pluto Nash and Norbit was somewhat of a downer but this movie was in his heyday. The movie really depended on Eddie delivering, and I mean REALLY depended on him because the story was weak and the other actors were even weaker than the story. Of course we know that Eddie's career wasn't defined by this movie and thank God for that.

You will get a few chuckles out of this action comedy starring Eddie Murphy, who plays a private detective specializing in missing persons. He has been chosen to help find a kidnapped Buddhist mystic called the Golden Child, who is the key to saving the world from a demon.The pacing of the movie is steady and slow at times, but it is straight and to the point of finding the missing child without much fillers. Murphy does play his character pretty well, with his sharp, somewhat comedic approach and quick action, blending in with the mixture of modern-day child abduction and ancient mysticism well. There is also some nice special effects, particular the Golden Child moving objects around with his mind.I would have like to see more action, though, between the good and bad guys as I thought the second half was rushed somewhat and scenes cut away from one and another too quickly. Murphy wasn't too funny in this one, but gave me a few chuckles here and there, particular in the scene where he tried to speak Cantonese. I would have have liked to see the Golden Child emphasized more as well.But, above all, it isn't too bad of an action comedy. It's watchable to spend the night with.Grade C+

Tibet, a young boy with mystical abilities, demonstrates his power by reviving a dead bird, which is to become a constant companion. However, a band of villains break into the hidden temple and takes the boy away. Some time afterwards, a young woman named Kee Nang watches a TV show in which Chandler Jarrell, a social worker looking for a missing child.She tells him that he is the chosen one, destined to save the child, and be the Saviour of all mankind. But Jarrell disbelieves the mysticism, but finds more and more evidence of demon worship as he starts investigating.....This was one of Murphys last films where he was classed untouchable. Every film he starred in before this was box office gold, and this film is basically Axel Foley in a silly hat. and it works for the most part, until you relate it to Big Trouble In Little China.The film goes down the same route as that one, melding Indiana Jines adventure, with constant homages to Asian movies of yesteryear.Murphy is as good as always, funny and with bags of improv, but the film has dated badly, and doesn't seem as good as when first saw in the late eighties.But it's all flashily made, another showcase for the star, which gets a little lost whenever he is not on screen, and quite a dark film for younger viewers.It's still watchable fluff though, but I feel if this were remade today, with another star, it wouldn't have the oomph factor it did back in the day.

Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance, Charlotte Lewis and Victor Wong star in this 1986 fantasy-comedy. This begins in Tibet where a magical child (J.L. Reate) gets kidnapped by demonic man, Sardo Numspa (Dance) and his men. Soon, we meet wise-cracking, social worker, Chandler Jarrell (Murphy) who is chosen to rescue the child. Lewis plays Kee Nang, a woman who helps and becomes romantically involved with Chandler and the late, Wong (Big Trouble in Little China) plays her wise-man father. After Kee falls under a spell, Chandler tries to save her by rescuing the child and facing Sardo. Randall "Tex" Cobb (Raising Arizona) and Wong's "Big Trouble in Little China" co-star, James Hong are also featured. I grew up watching this, it's one of my favorites with Murphy that's underrated and Dance is a good villain as usual. I recommend this.