HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. Directed by Joe Johnston; Ed Nahe and Tom Schulman; produced by Penny Finkelman Cox for Walt Disney. Starring Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Amy O'Neill and Thomes Brown. Rated PG.
More reviews by —
TITLE:
RATING:
For a movie that looks at first glance like just a conglomeration of special effects. Honey,I Shrunk the Kids turns out to be a lot more. At least some of its principals display a surprising depth of characterization. This makes it ideal family fare—lots of crazy action for the kids (even very young and inexperienced viewers should enjoy the effects) and a little something extra for the adults to think about.
Wayne Szalinski (Moranis) is an inventor so obsessed with getting his shrinking machine working that his family's coming apart at the seams. Plus they've got some obnoxious neighbors.
Everything turns out fine, between the neighbors at least, once the machine starts working—although there are some tense moments since it accidentally shrinks the Szalinski kids and the Thompsons from next door. Dad inadvertently sweeps them all out with the trash and they have to make a harrowing journey (for people 1/4" high, it's harrowing) across the back yard to the relative safety of the house.
Even though his name is over the title, Moranis doesn't have too much to do in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. And he's only really funny in a couple of scenes. There's plenty of humor here but it comes more from background details (like Wayne's various inventions scattered around the house) and from everyone's nightmare of a next-door-neighbor—Russ Thompson (Frewer).
Frewer's previous incarnation was Max Headroom. But here he's nothing so exotic, just a nerdy neighbor. Or is he? As the movie progresses, he gets to show different sides of his character and ends up not only being the funniest of the bunch, but also the most human. He really steals the show.
The kids are all appealing but not outstanding. And the effects, while well-done and entertaining, contain nothing unexpected. So Honey, I Shrunk the Kids isn't a great movie, but one the whole family can enjoy. And rare as that is these days, you'd better not miss it.
July 26, 1989