A magic-fuelled '80s comedy/adventure hybrid that occupies the same sub-genre as BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and THE LAST DRAGON. THE GOLDEN CHILD is less spectacular than both of those films – it has fewer special effects than the first and no martial arts like the second – but it proves to be a likable enough film boasting a strong comic turn from Eddie Murphy before he stopped making films for adults.
The story, as it reads, is exceptionally lightweight: Murphy is, for some inexplicable reason, the 'Chosen One' and his job is to rescue the 'Golden Child' from the clutches of evil, personified by Charles Dance in one of those stock British villain-type roles that Hollywood seem to love. There's a magic dagger, an interlude in Tibet and some magical adventures involving the cute shaven-headed kid, but for the most part this is a vehicle for Murphy to show off his comic abilities and he does that admirably.
The movie boasts a rare performance from Charlotte Lewis, a poor actress but quite lovely to watch on screen. There are also two supporting roles for familiar Asian actors in Hollywood, James Hong and Victor Wong, the latter giving a particularly funny turn as a mad mystic. Watch out for Randall "Tex" Cobb, almost unrecognisable beneath Klingon makeup. The special effects have badly dated since the film's initial release, but in a good way: I admit I got a kick out of seeing the various magic bolts, mysterious creatures and climatic scenes involving a demon attack (the demon, incidentally, looks just like the one at the very end of EVIL DEAD 2). THE GOLDEN CHILD is no great shakes but fans of 1980s should nevertheless enjoy it.
The story, as it reads, is exceptionally lightweight: Murphy is, for some inexplicable reason, the 'Chosen One' and his job is to rescue the 'Golden Child' from the clutches of evil, personified by Charles Dance in one of those stock British villain-type roles that Hollywood seem to love. There's a magic dagger, an interlude in Tibet and some magical adventures involving the cute shaven-headed kid, but for the most part this is a vehicle for Murphy to show off his comic abilities and he does that admirably.
The movie boasts a rare performance from Charlotte Lewis, a poor actress but quite lovely to watch on screen. There are also two supporting roles for familiar Asian actors in Hollywood, James Hong and Victor Wong, the latter giving a particularly funny turn as a mad mystic. Watch out for Randall "Tex" Cobb, almost unrecognisable beneath Klingon makeup. The special effects have badly dated since the film's initial release, but in a good way: I admit I got a kick out of seeing the various magic bolts, mysterious creatures and climatic scenes involving a demon attack (the demon, incidentally, looks just like the one at the very end of EVIL DEAD 2). THE GOLDEN CHILD is no great shakes but fans of 1980s should nevertheless enjoy it.