The film stars Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a Los Angeles social worker who is informed that he is "The Chosen One", and is destined to save "The Golden Child", a kidnapped Tibetan boy with mystical powers who is said to be the savior of all humankind.

The Golden Child was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures[5] and grossed a total of $79,817,937 at the United States domestic box office.

A young woman, Kee Nang, watches a Los Angeles TV show in which social worker Chandler Jarrell talks about his latest case, a missing girl named Cheryll Mosley.

The next day, Cheryll Mosley is found dead near an abandoned house smeared with Tibetan graffiti and a pot full of blood-soaked oatmeal.

Numspa (whom Chandler henceforth insists on calling "Numpsie") presents his demands: the Ajanti Dagger (a mystic weapon capable of killing the Child) in exchange for the boy.

In order to obtain the knife, Chandler has to pass a test: an obstacle course in a bottomless cavern whilst carrying a glass of water without spilling a drop.

The Ajanti Dagger is lost to the villains, and Kee takes a crossbow bolt meant for Chandler, dying in his arms while confessing her love for him.

Dennis Feldman, a professional photographer whose only writing credit was Just One of the Guys, wrote a script called The Rose of Tibet, which he planned as "a Raymond Chandler movie with supernatural elements.

[9] John Carpenter was offered the chance to direct the film, but he preferred to instead work on Big Trouble in Little China (1986) starring Kurt Russell.

Some of Barry's musical cues remain in the final cut of the film and one track, "Wisdom of the Ages", appeared on the first soundtrack release issued by Capitol Records.

The following pieces of music appear are on the soundtrack or in the film alongside Colombier's score: Released in December 1986, The Golden Child was a box office success.

[19] Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars, and stated: "The Golden Child may not be the Eddie Murphy movie we were waiting for, but it will do.

It is funnier, more assured and more tailored to Murphy than Beverly Hills Cop and it shows a side of his comic persona that I don't think has been much appreciated: his essential underlying sweetness.

"[20] In his TV, Movie, & Video Guide, Leonard Maltin cited the film as a BOMB (his lowest possible rating): "A top candidate for the worst megahit of all time...Charlotte Lewis gives a wooden performance even for an ex-model; entire reels go by with hardly a chuckle.