Honey, I Shrunk the Kids - A Movie Review

Be careful if you go up into the attic. Wayne Szalinski has been up all night inventing.

Shrinking itself into theaters in 1989, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a wild story about an inventing dad who accidentally shrinks his kids and the neighbors from next door. Inadvertently getting tossed out in the garbage, the kids have to work together venturing through the backyard to get home safely.

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is one of my favorite films that I love to sit back and watch. It’s pure nostalgia. It’s a fun story to watch. Two sequels were created and later on, it became a TV series. It is a fun adventure combined with a story that makes you learn that we’re not all that different from someone else.

Rick Moranis steals the show. He will always be the crazed mad-scientist, Wayne Szalinski. As I have watched this film more as an adult, I have noticed that there is more to Wayne than his quirky inventive side. Wayne may not be the most intelligent person, but he tries to do better. I love that about him. I like how the film spends time showing us that.

Wayne and Diane’s (Marcia Strassman) love story is an important part of this movie. They have their flaws, argue, and may not connect eye to eye, but they still love each other. Their interactions are important and I like how they are seen connecting, trying to solve the matter. My favorite moment will always be when Wayne confesses to a hysterical Diane about shrinking the kids.

Amy O’Neil, Robert Oliveri, Thomas Wilson Brown, and Jared Rushton were incredible as the unlucky kids who are accidentally shrunk down to the size of ants. I like how they created their personalities, each learning a lesson about themselves, subconsciously learning obstacles that were holding them back. Transforming from constant bickering into working together is one of my favorite character developments in any film.

This movie is an important lesson about friendship. Get to know someone before you judge them. There is always more to a person than what you see. Getting stuck on this adventure together made them closer siblings and neighbors.

Matt Frewer and Kristine Sutherland are terrific as the unfriendly next-door neighbors who have had it with Wayne’s zany inventing. The whole predicament makes the two sides join together and settle their differences.

As a child, the element that I loved most about this film was the incredible design. If you have ever wondered what your backyard looks like from an ants perspective, this film gifts you with that answer with humongous sets. Props go to the creative team who designed this incredible world of grass sticking up over your head, colossal Lego, and a huge appetizing cookie.

I am very impressed with the visuals in the film, too. The overall realistic design for insects looked genuine. I am so glad that the creative team didn’t use CGI which is what films these days are doing too much of. The scene where a sprinkler goes off is one of the most suspenseful scenes in the film and I love how it was shot.

Joe Johnson did an impeccable job with his direction on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Character development went a long way in the message of the film. It is an adventure right in your backyard.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or the sequels that have been made, I suggest that you watch them with your kids. I will always cherish these films for their humorous story and great actors.