“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is a perfect stroll down memory lane. The 1989 Disney production straddles the precipice of two amazing decades in entertainment and life in general. But does a film I loved as a kid hold up today?
The film stars the hysterical Rick Moranis as Wayne Szalinski, a scientist balancing his family life with his crazy inventions. In this case, a machine that can – spoiler alert – shrink things!
The 1980s saw the rise of the wacky inventor character. Icons like Doc Brown from “Back to the Future” and Randall Peltzer from “Gremlins” made this a logical career choice for those so inclined. Rick Moranis fills the job function perfectly. His demeanor blends smart with nerd; qualities that made him a star in classic films “Ghostbusters” and “Spaceballs.” He’s funny and knows how to play this part.
The concept of the story itself is great though the special effects are laughable at times. The two Szalinski kids; popular and pretty Amy (Amy O’Neill) and rising nerd Nick (Robert Oliveri) along with the neighbors; slacker Russell (Thomas Wilson Brown) and bully Ron (Jared Rushton) are the titular kids. After being shrunk and accidentally tossed out with the garbage, they embark on an amazing journey through the perilous backyard. And they fend off bugs, sprinklers, and the lawnmower, Wayne struggles to determine what happened.
“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is a blend of comedy, science fiction, romance, and adventure. There are also themes such as the importance of size and being true to yourself. The siblings bond in the backyard. The neighbors bond in the houses as they are fraught with worry.
I could pick apart the flaws easily. As mentioned before the effects are pretty bad though they fit with a slapstick movie like this. The believability of how quickly everyone accepts the situation is odd but come on, it was the final year of the 80s. Great fashion, rotary phones, mentions of the mall. It doesn’t get better than that.
“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is a funny movie that the whole family can sit down and enjoy. In honor of the classic bee scene, it gets that for a grade. I’ve read Moranis may return for a reboot and that would be welcomed by me.
