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Plot

Erstwhile inventor Prof. Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) has been experimenting with an electromagnetic shrinking machine. He leaves the device unattended in his attic; shortly afterward, it is accidentally activated. Alas, the demon machine is aimed at his children, as well as the son of neighbor Russ Thompson (Matt Frewer). The kids, shrunk to 1/4-inch height, are tossed into the trash bin by the unwitting Szalinski. For the rest of the film, our teeny-tiny protagonists attempt to gain their parents' attention -- and to survive the wilds of the backyard, where all sorts of dangers, from bumblebees to lawnmowers, threaten their well-being. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids features Marcia Strassman as Moranis' wife, and juvenile players Robert Oliveri, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Brown, Jared Rushton, and Amy O'Neill. The visual effects are the handiwork of such masters as Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, and David Allen. When originally released to theaters, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was double-billed with the Roger Rabbit cartoon Tummy Trouble; this is how it is presented on videotape as well. The film (the live-action one, that is) prompted a 1992 sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.
MPAA Rating:
PG
Genre(s):
Comedy,Family,Science Fiction
Run Time:
101min.
Theatrical Release Date:
06/23/1989
DVD Release Date:
10/08/2002
Distributor(s):
Buena Vista
Director(s):
Joe Johnston
Starring:
Rick Moranis , Matt Frewer , Marcia Strassman , Kristine Sutherland
Themes:
Inventors,Survival in the Wilderness,Sibling Relationships,Shrunken People,Experiments Gone Awry
Tone:
Earnest,Easygoing,Fanciful,Humorous,Light,Sweet
Keywords:
child,child-abuse,experiment,family,generation-gap,home-alone,human,inventor,kidnapping,miniaturization,mutant,scientist,shrinking
Country of Origin:
USA (06-23-1989)
Language:
English