Plot
The scientist father of two teenage boys accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
Release Year: 1989
Rating: 6.1/10 (41,105 voted)
Director:
Joe Johnston
Stars: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman
Storyline Wayne Szalinski is your average "nutty scientist", working on a top secret machine which miniaturizes objects. When it unexpectedly starts working, he's so amazed he forgets to tell his family to be careful. And when they wander into his lab...
Writers: Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna
Cast: Rick Moranis
-
Wayne Szalinski
Matt Frewer
-
Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Sr. (Big Russ Thompson)
Marcia Strassman
-
Diane Szalinski
Kristine Sutherland
-
Mae Thompson
Thomas Wilson Brown
-
Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Jr. (Little Russell Thompson)
(as Thomas Brown)
Jared Rushton
-
Ronald 'Ron' Thompson
Amy O'Neill
-
Amy Szalinski
Robert Oliveri
-
Nick Szalinski
Carl Steven
-
Tommy Pervis
Mark L. Taylor
-
Donald 'Don' Forrester
Kimmy Robertson
-
Gloria Forrester
Lou Cutell
-
Dr. Brainard
Laura Waterbury
-
Female Cop
Trevor Galtress
-
Male Cop
Martin Aylett
-
Harold Boorstein
Taglines:
The most astonishing, innovative, backyard adventure of all time!
Release Date: 23 June 1989
Filming Locations: Beverly Hills, California, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $18,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: AUD 422,261
(Australia)
(2 December 1989)
Gross: $130,724,200
(USA)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Quark, which is the dog's name in the movie, is an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei.
Goofs:
Factual errors:
Szalinski says the shrink ray works by removing the space between molecules; however, a solid object has very little space between its molecules making it impossible to shrink as much as they are shrunk.
Quotes: Nick Szalinski:
We could be anywhere now. Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Jr.:
I think we're still in your yard. Nick Szalinski:
How do you know? Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Jr.:
Any other yard the grass would be shorter.
User Review
Ridiculous, cute, and fun family entertainment
Rating: 8/10
This is a fun movie for the entire family. Well, of course, it's
ridiculous but the kids will love it and you can laugh right along with
them.
The absurd tale revolves around around a nutty scientist & dad named
Wayne Szalinski who is working on a machine to miniaturize objects.
When his two kids plus their two neighbouring friends (the Thompsons)
wander into his lab, Wayne inadvertently shrinks the four of them. Then
he accidentally tosses them out in the garbage, so the poor kids have
to brave the dangers of the lawn to get back to the house. And can the
well intended but crazy scientist figure out how to bring the
youngsters back to full size again? (Personally, my favourite aspect of
the movie is the nutty father.)
The story has plenty of adventure and danger as the teensy weensy
younguns brave the perils of the jungle (actually their lawn). They
face thunderstorm like risks of potentially drowning in the lawn
sprinkler or being attacked by giant ants, bees, & other bugs. Not to
mention the lawn mower!
Avoid the TV series of the same name, but this movie has some good
family messages involving the two sets of parents (the Szalinskis & the
Thompsons) as well as the kids. And of course there's lots of hilarity
and adventure. It should be rated higher than it is and fully deserved
its popularity at the time. This film put the phrase 'Honey, I shrunk
(or whatever) the kids' into people's everyday vocabulary!
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