HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989)

RELEASE DATE: Friday 23rd June 1989

 

This is the kind of movie where the title tells you pretty much everything you need to know. Rick Moranis plays a mad professor who invents a shrinking ray which never seems to work. Through some particular circumstances, the ray begins to function, but unfortunately shrinks not only his two children, but the two kids from next door as well. While he and his wife search for their tiny offspring, the kids have to go on an epic voyage across the back yard and back into the house.

Some other working titles for this film were "Teeny Weenies," "Grounded" and "The Big Backyard." Chevy Chase and John Candy were both considered to play the role of Wayne Szalinski, but in the end the part went to Rick Moranis.

It was directed by Joe Johnston, who had been an art director on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. This was his first major directing job. He would then go on to direct Jurassic Park III, Jumanji and the first Captain America film.

Honey I Shrunk The Kids was a surprisingly huge success, becoming the highest-grossing live-action Disney movie up until this point. It spawned two inferior sequels, a T.V. show spin-off and a ride/theatre experience type thing at the Disney theme parks.

MALEFICENT: I must say, I am most disappointed after watching Honey I Shrunk The Kids, that never once in the movie, does he say, "Honey I Shrunk The Kids." One would think that they would put that line in there.

  

WENDY: You should call Rick Moranis and get him to film that scene all over again.

 

IRVYNE: Director's Cut!

 

WENDY: Rick Moranis just plays the same character in every movie, doesn't he? Wayne Szalinski isn't that different to Louis Tully in Ghostbusters, who isn't that different from Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors. He does it so well though!

 

MALEFICENT: He looks just like a mad professor!

 

HAKU: All of the weird equipment he wears looks like it's straight out of Ghostbusters.

 

SHENZI: Big Russ looks and sounds like Jim Carrey. Is he related?

 

IRVYNE: My research tells me no, although the actor - Matt Frewer - is Canadian like Mr. Carrey. And whoa! He also played Max Headroom!

 

SHENZI: I like the animated opening credits because it gives you an idea of the story before the movie starts.

 

IRVYNE: Yeah, it's weird though that the kids in the credits bear no resemblance whatsoever to the kids in the movie! It's like it was animated before they even cast it. Weird.

 

HAKU: I enjoyed this film. It's still fun to watch.

 

IRVYNE: Yeah, most of the effects really don't hold up that well, but the movie still works despite that. It's weird that on the one hand you've got this absolutely absurd plot concept, and at the same time it's a very contained movie with a simple story about family and neighbourly relationships. It's really just "They shrink," "They go to the back of the yard," "They make their way to the front of the yard." "The end."

 

PASCAL: But there's a moral to it! They all learn their lessons.

 

IRVYNE: You mean to say that by the end, they have all... GROWN? *ba-doom-TISH*

 

WENDY: I'm sure when it was first released, the effects would have been amazing.

 

SHENZI: Absolutely!

 

IRVYNE: I can actually remember going to the cinemas with my mum to see this. (I can even remember which cinema we went to!) I thought it was mind-blowing at the time.

 

HAKU: There is definitely some below-average acting at times. The kid playing Nick is pretty good, but the others often sound like they're just reading from the script.

WENDY: You are so critical of child actors! In every movie we watch you criticize them!

 

HAKU: I'm a teacher. I judge kids every day. It's my job.

 

IRVYNE: And on the Honey I Shrunk The Kids Report Card: "Could do better."

 

WENDY: Uh-huh, and I suppose we were all WAY better actors than that when we were kids!

 

HAKU: But they would have had many, many kids to choose from. That's what casting agents are for.

 

IRVYNE: So think of how much WORSE it could have been!

 

HAKU: True, true.

 

MALEFICENT: There are things I really like about this movie. I love the scene where they're swept up by the broom. I love the giant broom bristles. It's clever when the sprinkler starts and there are the giant exploding drops of water. And the dog hair that they have to cling on to.

WENDY: All of the giant textures work really well to sell this idea of a tiny world.

 

SHENZI: Shame about Anty. Poor Anty!

WENDY: At least he gets an awesome fight scene before he dies.

 

IRVYNE: A stop-motion fight scene!

 

WENDY: Yay for stop-motion. That was exciting to see.

 

MALEFICENT: I love stop-motion. I just watched the Wombles box-set. It's fantastic.

 

IRVYNE: Anty is cute, but Quark steals the show for me.

PASCAL: I really dislike Ron. I want to slap him.

  

HAKU: He's like a Draco Malfoy kind of character.

 

MALEFICENT: He's a prat. He becomes nicer after Anty dies though.

IRVYNE: So we all enjoyed watching this movie, and we all recognise the moral of the story: Never Play Baseball... What, did I take away the wrong moral...?

 

MALEFICENT: No no, that's the moral I got. "Sport only causes trouble."

 

WENDY: It tears families apart!

IRVYNE: I'm glad that's clear!