Customer Reviews

The Golden Child

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Murphy was so popular before this flick came out, somebody wrote at the time, that he could survive if it flopped. "Golden Child" was a commercial disappointment and it did hurt him. To this day, I don't know why.

Murphy is Chandler Jerroll - an LA-based PI with a flip attitude on anything. He's a hero of the city of angels, but he's no angel himself. In short, he is the "chosen one", the foretold hero destined to save the "golden child" from evil. While Jerroll searches LA for lost children, the enchanted golden child rises in spiritual purity in a snowy monastery in the Himalayas. The wicked forces of Sardo Numspar (Charles Dance) invade the monastery and, after overrunning the monks, spirit the boy away in a cage. The boy, it turns out, is one of a line of divine lamas upon whom the world rests, and whom evil must destroy. Dark Forces had already claimed other golden children. With the loss of the "bringer of justice", the death of another golden child will plunge the world into hell. Why Murphy is the "Chosen One" (and who's doing the choosing here?) are subjects the script keeps wisely away from. Instead, what we get is a deft mix of high adventure and comedy. It shouldn't work at all, but Murphy mugs on cue and can handle the preposterousness of the situation - a modern LA guy having to battle the forces of evil. The joke of the flick is that Eddie Murphy is the Chosen One - only a comically refined mind could effectively mix the fun and action like he does. Crude special effects aside, the fantasy mixes well with the comedy, and Murphy's light touch plays well off of the evil Numspar and Charlotte Lewis as Jerrol's love interest. This is simply an underappreciated classic.

"The Golden Child" is an interesting, fun and action packed comic/adventure with a touch of horror where Jarrel (Eddie Murphy) stars as the Chosen One. In this role, he has the "onerous" responsibility of finding the "Golden Child". The Golden Child is a Buddhist child with supernatural powers who was kidnapped by some evil villains and sorcerers. I first saw this film in the late 1980s and I loved it. I still enjoy watching it to this day, particularly the sarcastic humour typical of Eddie Murphy.

Eddie Murphy plays the reluctant hero, having been thrust into an unnatural and supernatural world of sorcery and mysticism. The Golden child, who is one in a line of divine Lamas and upon his compassion and grace the fate of the world rests, is a delightful and charming kid. The lady who identifies Eddie Murphy as the Chosen One is cute. Charles Dance, who plays as the wicked "Sardun Numspa", performs his role with expertise.

In this film, Eddie Murphy looks more serious than usual and the swearing and four letter words are much less. Eddie Murphy fans will enjoy his usual cute jokes. Viewers will also enjoy many visual appealing scenes.

This is one of Eddie Murphy's best movies. This amusing and mysterious movie is well worth watching. This is recommended viewing for those who love comedy and adventure and do not mind the weird and supernatural.

Okay, I think the Amazon.com review was a bit harsh, but three stars is really all this film is truly worth. Is it one of Eddie Murphy's best? Heck no. DADDY DAYCARE had more depth to some extent. However, there is much to like in this film.

First, Murphy does his very best with a somewhat weak script and poor special effects. His dialogue interfaces with Victor Wong (the Old Man) are very funny. And the dream sequence with the splendid Charles Dance (as a very good Sardo Numspa) and Tex Cobb was well done.

Second, Charlotte Lewis looks great. I don't need acting, I need a hotty in the film. Check!

Third, "I, I, I, I got the knife..." Classic!

Fourth, it's simply fun camp. Sit back, don't take it seriously, and enjoy. The ending may be stupid as heck, but by then you won't care.

John Carpenter has always been my favorite director and I will defend his films to the end. I love the atmosphere he injects into his stylish, dark films. On that note I have always liked The Golden Child. I'm not huge Eddie Murphy fan but there's always something about this film I liked. It has a certain quirkiness to it that reminded me of some Carpenter classics as Big Touble in Little China. Well, I recently bought a John Carpenter book and it said that he was actually going to direct the film at first but backed out. Well no wonder I like this picture. It's a shame he never directed it as it might of turned out even more interesting, but I am glad he decided to do Big Trouble in Little China instead.

When this movie first came out, from what the critics had to say, and the trailors for it, I was not that impressed with the idea of spending money to see it. I was truly surprised when I finally did see it. It is not a visually enhanced movie, but you see a side of Eddie Murphy that is surprising and refreshing, his character is fairly polite, not too much on the 4 letter word band wagon, and actually shows compassion. I would say that he shows these same qualities in the Dr. Dolittle movies, but really... talking animals??? It is a heart warming story, protection of a childs life... see it and judge for yourself. I think you will be surprised and want to add this one to your collection!

Surreal. Action. Super-natural stuff. Comedy. Perhaps it is the eccentric mix that has confused and disappointed people. This movie strays extremely far from the "realism" of Beverly Hills Cop, 48 hours, Trading Places. The Golden Child reminds me very much of Big Trouble in Little China, in the way it mixes myth with action and humor. Altough to be honest there really is very litte action in The Golden Child. Eddie plays average guy thrust into a world he doesn't understand or really believe, and being that it is Eddie Murphy, there is humor to be found. This isn't his best movie or a "great" movie, perhaps the mix of so many elements leaves each one a bit too weak. Yes it is funny, but it is a far cry from a gut busting laugh fest. If you can appreaciate the ecentric mix of genres and are looking for a hidden gem that not all can "get", i highly recommend watching this movie. I only say watching since, after all, it is a Paramount release, ie, extremely high price for a bare bones, back cataloge, middle of the road movie. Shame on them.

I am very happy to see my fellow Reveiwers totally disregarding everything that Leonard Maltin (and other nitwit critics who wouldn't know entertainment if it bit them on the ...) said and spoke the truth about this classic comedy. This is Eddies best film (followed closely by coming to America and Beverly hills cop) and I beleive it will stay in that position for many years to come.

"The Golden Child" was Eddie Murphy's first film since his megahit "Beverly Hills Cop". And even though it's not as good as "Cop", it's a fun comic adventure. Murphy stars as a finder of lost children who's assigned a most unusual case. His assignment: to find the title character, a child with mystical powers. This movie could have been titled "Beverly Hills Cop and the Temple of Doom" since parts of this movie plays like a Spielbergian adventure, kinda like an Indiana Jones comedy. It's got comedy with laughs, and adventure with special effects. Lots of fun.

This is one of my favorite Eddie Murphy movies. He was very funny in this film.

I personally get sick of these self righteous, full of themselves critics who think just because a film "isn't serious enough", "has no social commentary", and "not political enough" it sucks. Like the official critic reviews above, I beg to differ. I love low brow, I'll just get that off my chest, the only criteria a movie needs to meet in my opinion is did it do its job of entertaining me, even if production value is low and the acting was wooden but it provided hilarity then it did its job. "The Golden Child" isn't a second "Citizen Kane" nor does it try to be, if your looking for Oscar worthy script or performance, look elsewhere. This movie however is a funny, action filled, slam bam thank you mam, typical 80's fantasy where a child is born the new Dali Lama, the reincarnation of the Buddhist's equivalent of Jesus. He has come to save and heal the world, there are dark forces out to destroy him and Eddie Murphy plays the social worker who seeks to protect and deliver him to safety. I know not a original plot and yes it is kind of stupid (demon skeleton is outdated and the director seemed to have a fascination with oatmeal and blood yuck!), but stupid can be entertaining. Especially 80's stupid which is the best. If you want to be entertained you won't be let down by this movie, but if you expect another "English Patient" forget it look elsewhere.

Boy, this flick was a lot better when I saw it as a kid in the 1980s. Now, the material seems horribly dated and the movie, compared to today's CG technology, suffers from decidedly less than spectacular special effects (though the animated dancing Pepsi can is still cute). Also grating on the nerves now is the strident electronic chords and horns heard in the soundtrack. Not as good and diverting as BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, THE GOLDEN CHILD, which came out in the same year (1986), shares the same Eastern mysticism, horror/fantasy elements, and tongue-in-cheek tone.

Plot SPOILERS begin:

In Los Angeles, fez-wearing Chandler Jarrell (Eddie Murphy), finder of lost children, is pestered by exotically beautiful Kee Nang (Charlotte Lewis) into searching for the Golden Child, a magical Buddhist boy kidnapped from Tibet who is prophesied to save the world. When a connection seemingly links the missing Golden Boy to a murdered girl Jarrell had been looking for, he reluctantly takes on Kee Nang's case. Jarrell is told that he's the Chosen One, the one destined to find the Golden Child. Over the course of the film, as inexplicable supernatural events persist in surfacing, Jarrell's initial mocking incredulity transforms into gradual belief. Witnessing freaky dreams, demons, reptilian women, and enigmatic men materializing and dematerializing into thin air will do that. Everything hinges on his unearthing the Ajanti Dagger, an otherworldy artifact capable of killing the Golden Child but capable of also turning the tide in Jarrell's favor.

Given, Eddie Murphy isn't at his best here, for some reason, though his trademark bray of a laugh is ever present. Maybe because of the action-heavy, horror-oriented plot, less emphasis is placed on comedy, although this feature still offers vestiges of the funny (I know this is unPC but my favorite line in the film is Murphy's aside to the Golden Child: "Did you have Star Search in Tibet? Probably not...you probably have Food Search."). I recall only two instances where Eddie seriously cuts loose with his patented Axel Foley jive (in the unconvincing Kathmandu airport scene and later in the "Brother Numsy" routine, also in an airport). His character of Jarrell does present the familiar smirky, wisecracking persona we've all come to know and love, but he's definitely not as effectively funny here as in, say, 48 HOURS, TRADING PLACES, or BEVERLY HILLS COP. Another detriment is that the romance seems somewhat forced to me as Eddie and Charlotte Lewis display little chemistry. Too, that insipid dream segment annoyed the living crap out of me.

End SPOILERS.

It's hard to criticize a gorgeous woman like Charlotte Lewis but, sadly, she proves to be tepid in her performance. Fortunately, I didn't care all that much because the eye candy she embodies more than made up for her lackluster acting (Gawd, that sexy face, those enticing gams, that shot of her on the bed in that blue shirt and panties!) and her character does gain bonus points for her somersaults and her use of martial arts. Charles Dance (the contact lens-happy villain of THE LAST ACTION HERO) carries off his dastardly role of Sardo Numspa with sinister British aplomb, while young J.L. Reate is fine as the close-mouthed but cute bald child of prophecy. Ex-boxer Randall "Tex" Cobb has a minor role as a childlike baddie while James Hong and the terrific Victor Wong (both are in BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA) also appear.

While not the most horrible movie he ever made, THE GOLDEN CHILD is still a lesser light in the Eddie Murphy oeuvre. Simply put, it just isn't as good as his more prominent films (the three mentioned above, as well as his later, more family-oriented features). Having said that, I did enjoy it as a child and it does have its merits. If you have a hankering for fantasy/horror, a touch of kung fu, a whiff of irreverent comedy, and the hot Charlottle Lewis to slobber over, well, THE GOLDEN CHILD is the dvd to pop in. Three stars for this one, for nostalgia's sake.