Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

6/10

Starring

Rick Moranis

Matt Frewer

Marcia Strassman

Kristine Sutherland

Directed by Joe Johnston

In 1989 Disney pulled off one lucky sleeper hit called Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The movie starred Rick Moranis and although it was nothing spectacular, it was different and cool. The concept and idea were not something I was too familiar with and I recall how much it was worth seeing some years after on VHS.

The movie’s main advantage was the tale leading to the main event. It was not special having twists and turns with some dark suspense, but straight and easy to follow. The moment the kids got shrunk we were taken from what looked like a couple trying to solve their martial problem, to them trying to find their shrunk children.

The way the movie was done is that when the children were in the yard, we start seeing things from the perspective of being the size of an ant (smaller than an ant).

Everything from the way the actors reacted to their present situation and the way the director (on his debut) was able to craft and guide us on an unexpected journey can only be described as something if you can’t appreciate seeing it in this present time, you can never.

The movie plot starts with the introduction of a scientist/inventor (Wayne – played by Rick Moranis) who has turned his house and living area to his very own experimental lab. His obsession with work and results, led to him and his wife having some marital problems.

Their marriage has two children, an older teenage daughter and a much younger geeky son. Their neighbor has two sons who seem to be in the same age bracket as their own kids.

While their children were at home their neighbor broke the window while playing baseball. His elder brother dragged him to go apologize and that led them to go up to their father’s workspace. There in the workspace their father is working on a shrink ray. The baseball hit the machine putting it on and it shrunk everything before it. The moment the four children enter the room, they too got shrunk.

Their father coming home, was upset that he could not get the machine to work as he wanted and started destroying it. He swept the mess and the shrunk children into a waste bag (unknowingly) putting them outside by the yard.

The children got out and now must find a way to get back home and alert their father to reverse the machine ray.

As at the time of its release it was Disney’s highest grossing live action film for some years. It grossed over $220 million on a $18 million budget and it was a critical success. Disney could not let this success go untapped and had two sequels done, both not as good or original as the first.