Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Timeless classic. Great adventure movie than never gets old. Yes the effects and props aren't what they used to be, but its still enjoyable today. There's some 80s adventure movies that seem really silly when you watch them today, movies like explorers are just ridiculous when you watch them now, but this has stood the test of time and my son will definitely be watching this with me when hes a bit older.

Basically this one great and fun adventure movie, for kids especially. It's a Disney movie, so it's most definitely kid orientated, which means that it doesn't have the most complicated script, drawn out characters, or other mind boggling elements but it more than serves its purpose.

What is the most appealing aspect of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" are its adventures elements. It was a great move to let the movie for most part be set in the backyard of an ordinary house, of a not so ordinary family. The shrunken kids have to overcome all sorts of dangers in the backyard, such as 'giant' insects, water drops, muddy rivers, lawnmowers and of course avoid being squashed by humans. A new adventure and obstacle awaits at every corner, which makes sure that there is always something happening in the movie and makes things flow well.

The movie is perhaps more adventurous and fun than really funny. The most comical aspects of the movie mostly come from the adult cast, from actors such as Rick Moranis and Marcia Strassman as the parents and Matt Frewer and Kristine Sutherland as the neighbors. They mostly make sure that the movie is a perfectly enough watchable and entertaining one for adults. Rick Moranis of course suits the role very well as a nutty scientist. He is perhaps also known best for his roles in the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"-movies than any other one.

The movie is well made and Joe Johnston shows himself again a capable director. I have always liked him as a director. He never made any really great movies but his movies are always entertaining, which always make a Joe Johnston movie a pleasant one to watch. This movie was his directorial debut and he could had done a lot worse.

The movie has some good effects, also especially considering the time it got made. The movie uses all kinds of effects. Mostly of course consisting out of over-sized sets and objects but also stop-motion effects, mechanical effects and some early special effects. Especially the over-sized objects aren't really convincing looking and are obviously made out of light and non-nature materials but I don't know, this seemed sort of right and a suiting style for a kids movie such as this one. The musical score by James Horner is also a perfectly fine one.

About as good and entertaining as a kid's movie can get, though there is also plenty left to enjoy for adults.

7/10

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I rememeber seeing this film in summer 1989 in the movie theater when I was still in elementary school. On the big screen the FX are so cool! They don't translate as well on the small screen, though. It's also funny to see the Matt Frewer character making pot shots at Rick Moranis's character. The shrunken kids' adventure to cross the yard is also cool. The Roger Rabbit short "Tummy Trouble" before the start of the film is an added bonus! Great Disney fun!

My Take: A fine family entertainment with some neat special effects.

I grew up watching and enjoying this funny, fast-paced fantasy adventure. But when I watched it back then, I always seemed to start it on the part with the scorpion and the ant, so I only watch a few parts. But I finally found it on DVD and watched it from the beginning. And I really enjoyed it. It's really a fantastic fantasy, with elaborate special-effects and lavish "enlarged" sets.

The film is quite like the fantasy films filmmaker Steven Spielberg produced, like "Back to the Future" and "Innerspace" for instance. It depicts the adventures of average people, thrust into an adventure of a lifetime, and then must find away to get back safely. That's kinda like the premise of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", a group of neighborhood kids get shrunk to size by a weird machine crazy inventor Rick Moranis invented. Disney triumphs in creating an enjoyable fantasy that's sure to be a charm. The stop-motion effects are still impressive, even if special effects in the 80's have certainly moved on. It's one of the best live-action Disney efforts and a fine fun for the entire family.

This film is followed by a sequel "Honey, I Blew up the Kid", which is not quite as zany and imaginative as its predecessor.

Rating: ***1/2 out of 5.

Being a somewhat big fan of Rick Moranis, I had high expectations when I first saw this movie. I must say, I was not disappointed. The acting was terrific.

***Spoilers*** Wayne Szalinski (Moranis) is a nutty scientist who invents strange things. One invention, a shrinking machine, just makes things blow up. At first. Then, a next door neighbor, Ron Thomson, (Jared Rushton) hits a baseball in Wayne Szalinski's lab- in the attic.

Soon, four kids are the size of a grain of sand. Only a quarter inch tall, they make their way home. They have many adventures in the backyard, which is a jungle to them. The adventures include encounters with swarming bees, an ant, a lawn mower, and much more.

After a near misadventure with a bowl of cereal, the kids are found. Wayne fixes his machine, and the kids are enlarged back to normal size.

Later, both the Thomson's and Szalinski's are in the kitchen. On the table is a turkey the size of a piano.

This is a well-made movie. It may be a little scary for some younger kids, but it is well worth watching more than once.

My Score: 8/10