Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

74% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
47% of users liked it
(634,591 ratings)

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… More 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. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 41 min.
Directed By: Joe Johnston
Written By: Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna
Genres: Action & Adventure, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 23, 1989 Wide
On DVD: Oct 8, 2002

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
[It's] in the best tradition of Disney -- and even better than that, because it is not so juvenile that adults won't be thoroughly entertained.
Caryn James, New York Times
As sweet, straightforward and funny as its title.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Though it relies on special effects, this cutie-pie caper never loses sight of the protagonists amid the bigger-than-life Cheerios and 40-foot blades of grass.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The special effects are all there, nicely in place, and the production values are sound, but the movie is dead in the water.
Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media
Two-dimensional fun.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
O visual oitentista e os efeitos visuais datados acabam contribuindo para o charme do filme, que ainda consegue divertir.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
They don't make pre-teen entertainment like this anymore, and that's a crime...retains a filmmaking purity that's timeless, aging well against a summer of now dated motion pictures.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A wonderful blend of thrills, character, and humor that will keep both children and adults charmed and engaged throughout.
, Film4
The special effects have moved on a bit since the 1950s, but this is old-fashioned Disney fun.
Derek Adams, Time Out
Sterling entertainment...
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
One of the better Disney live-action flicks from the '80s.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
enjoyably goofy

Read all 12 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Chris W

This is the story of a kooky subruban inventor who is absent minded and makes some wonderfully nutty and ridiculous inventions, his latest being a shrink ray. Things get going when his two kids and two neighbor kids accidentally get shrunk down to an approximate height of 1/4"… More
This is the story of a kooky subruban inventor who is absent minded and makes some wonderfully nutty and ridiculous inventions, his latest being a shrink ray. Things get going when his two kids and two neighbor kids accidentally get shrunk down to an approximate height of 1/4" tall and tossed out into the back yard with the garbage. From there, it becomes an adventure of epic proportions as the kids have to deal with things that normally wouldn't seem so hazardous in order to try to get their parents' attention and get brought back to normal size. Parallel to all of this is the story of the adults trying to find the kids once they realize what has happened. I first saw this as a kid and it really blew me away. It still blows me away every time I see it. Sure, it's chessy, improbably, and really silly at times, but it's a lot of fun, has some great special effects and sets, and is rather witty and creative. It's a tad dated, and some of the jokes get played out and overdone a little much, but overall, this is a rather harmless fantasy adventure. The film isn't perfect, and nostalgia weighs heavily on my grade, but I can't help it. This is just a fine examle of taking an old concept, playing around with it, and doing it in a really fun, entertaining, and funny way.
Scott G

An interesting classic with a unique concept.
Brad W

Juwst another cheesy Disney movie that is on TV all the time, really boring.
Alexis N

One of my all time favorites. Such a fun family film and it helps that the neighbor boy is a babe.
Jeff "

I remember seeing this as a kid, and I remember it being a lot of fun. But watching it today, the film looks dated and fairly silly. I know the film is supposed to be silly and fun, and yes, the film is still fun, but theres something clearly missing fro this film to clearly make it a… More
I remember seeing this as a kid, and I remember it being a lot of fun. But watching it today, the film looks dated and fairly silly. I know the film is supposed to be silly and fun, and yes, the film is still fun, but theres something clearly missing fro this film to clearly make it a memorable classic. The special effects kinda look cheap and the acting is so-so. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids is still an entertaining film to watch. The film has plenty of faults, and doesn't quite succeed at being a memorable family comedy film. I thought the film was borderline good with a decent enough story. But as far as comedy is concerned, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids doesn't really work. I barely laughed. However I thought the film was entertaining to kill an hour and a half, and it was fun. But I just didn't see anything funny in this film. Entertaining sure, but funny, no. Rick Moranis is obviously the best actor in this film and he is amusing on screen. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids is entertaining fun, but I can't say that it belongs on the list of classic family comedies because it misses something to truly make it special. Joe Johnson would go on to helm far superior films to this one, and luckily for us, he would succeed at delivering a wonderful family comedy with Jumanji. But Honey, I Shrunk The Kids is a decent effort with potential, but that potential is not fully realised on screen.
Bethany M

Funny!
AJ V

A fun-filled family film from Disney. I loved this movie when I was a kid. As the title says, the kids in the movie get shrunk smaller than ants. It's really cool, and I recommend it.
Richard C

C
Conner R

Who can't get into a good shrinking movie? While the effects now look crazy and it's a product of its time, this is still extremely funny and downright weird. Wayne Szalinski is about as close to a mad scientist that you can get, aside from the father bit. Shrinking your… More
Who can't get into a good shrinking movie? While the effects now look crazy and it's a product of its time, this is still extremely funny and downright weird. Wayne Szalinski is about as close to a mad scientist that you can get, aside from the father bit. Shrinking your kids must be on the list of worst things to do with technology (or blow them up like the sequel).
Lenny M

Very creative. Rick Moranis is a brilliant short Canadian. Those glasses are classic. That giant cookie looked delicious.
Jennifer D

Another childhood movie! Loved it!!! Rick Moranis is fabulous! Whatever happened to him?
Wahida K

Great Classic.
Anthony L

A family oriented Disney version of the classic Incredible shrinking man. Sacrilege but quite good fun.
Jason O

I remember when I was a kid, sometimes I would imagine what it would be like to be as little as an ant and how everything would look. When I first watched "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," it pretty much proved to me exactly what it would be like in a way. An inventor of a new… More
I remember when I was a kid, sometimes I would imagine what it would be like to be as little as an ant and how everything would look. When I first watched "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," it pretty much proved to me exactly what it would be like in a way. An inventor of a new machine that can supposedly shrink people, accidentally shrinks his kids. His kids are trapped somewhere in the lawn, and that's when the adventure begins. The special effects in the movie are what makes the movie so good. You'll see the kids witness such phenomena as riding a bee and almost getting eaten as cereal. To the kids, raindrops are like huge water explosions, and the grass is like towering redwoods. They must find a way to deshrink themselves before they get squashed, eaten, etc. The special effects aren't the only good thing about this movie. Parts of it are hilarious, and it has a good plot. I recommend anybody to get "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. I always liked this series a lot.
Bobby H

A classic movie that was the stepping stone for a full out trilogy. The effects were amazing for the 80s. As a kid and even now the movie has great potential to spark ones imagination unlike many movies can. This movie always makes me wonder what it would be like to be those ants… More
A classic movie that was the stepping stone for a full out trilogy. The effects were amazing for the 80s. As a kid and even now the movie has great potential to spark ones imagination unlike many movies can. This movie always makes me wonder what it would be like to be those ants that I once magnified with the sun and squirted with my water pistol when I was a little kid. It's fun to watch, a bit predictable, but a great idea and a great movie in general. This movie is diseny creative at it's best.
Stephen M

I haven't seen this since it was released but it was okay.
Keysha H

I love Rick Moranis. Period.
Candy R

Funny comedy about an inventor who shrinks his kids.
Dean !

I remember seeing this at the cinema as a kid! Had good effects for the time. A good story for the whole family to enjoy. Much better than the sequels from what I have heard.
Lafe F

Big Disney effects showcase with Rick Moranis as a quirky scientist so involved in his work, he has with no time for his kids. When they get accidentally shrunk down and tossed in the yard, it's up to the kids to find their own way back home. The shrinking concept sounds… More
Big Disney effects showcase with Rick Moranis as a quirky scientist so involved in his work, he has with no time for his kids. When they get accidentally shrunk down and tossed in the yard, it's up to the kids to find their own way back home. The shrinking concept sounds interesting, but it's not cute, as the events are seen from the shrunken kids' POV -- everything around them is big and grotesque (especially the insects). The kids' voyage from the yard to the kitchen reminds me very much of Doctor Who and the Planet of Giants. The kids are typically 80's-style, reminding me much of the group from "The Goonies". I recall not liking the title, as it reminded me of liquid bee honey; and was responsible for a whole franchise of "Honey" movies and shows, including "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid"!