Eddie Murphy plays a detective with a speciality of finding lost children. He is told he is the 'Chosen one' who will find and protect the Golden Child, a Bhuddist mystic who was kidnapped by an evil sorcerer. Murphy disbelieves the mysticism but finds more and more evidence of demon worship as he investigates. In an unknown location in Tibet, a young boy with mystical abilities, the Golden Child, receives badges of honor and demonstrates his power by reviving a dead bird, which is to become a constant companion. However, a band of villains led by a mysterious man breaks into the hidden temple, slaughters the monks and takes the boy away. Some time afterwards, a young woman named Kee Nang watches a Los Angeles TV show in which Chandler Jarrell, a social worker who is confronted by a young Asian woman who tells him that he is the Chosen One destined to save The Golden Child, the savior of all mankind, from the clutches of the evil demon Sardo Numspa, who won't rest until he sees to it that the boy is in his clutches. But Jarrell disbelieves the mysticism but he finds more and more evidence of demon worship as he starts investigating. Tibet, a young boy with mystical abilities, demonstrates his power by reviving a dead bird, which is to become a constant companion. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>She tells him that he is the chosen one, destined to save the child, and be the Saviour of all mankind. <br/><br/>But Jarrell disbelieves the mysticism, but finds more and more evidence of demon worship as he starts investigating…..<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>The film goes down the same route as that one, melding Indiana Jines adventure, with constant homages to Asian movies of yesteryear.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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. If this movie didn't have Eddie Murphy in it then it would be practically unwatchable. Its a ridiculous movie but what makes it work is that Eddie knows it is and acts accordingly. Its great fun to watch and Eddie wise cracks his way through the whole film. It also has a pretty good villain in Charles Dance and -Charlotte Lewis may not be the best actress in the world but she is certainly nice to look at. Throw in some top notch 80's special effects and its a pretty good way to pass a couple of hours. I must say though this film is pretty similar in tone to Big Trouble In Little China so if you enjoyed that then I'm sure you will enjoy this. Just don't expect to get as many laughs from this as you would have from Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places or 48 HRS. You could actually make an argument that this was when Eddie to his finger off the quality control button and started making uninspired sequels and children's movies. As in Big Trouble, there is much playing around with oriental mythic nonsense: underground caverns, magic daggers, even a trip to Tibet. But where the movie really misses a trick is its inability to reproduce the balletic splendours of martial arts. The surprise is Murphy, who relies more on his undoubted charm than on the stream of wisecracks he usually delivers.
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366 weeks ago