Parents' Guide to

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

By Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Silly but occasionally scary '80s movie has lots of peril.

Movie PG 1989 101 minutes
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 27 parent reviews

Sonjamorgan
Sonjamorgan Parent of 7-year-old
February 18, 2022
age 8+

Very upsetting scene with ant

I love this website as it allows our family to watch movies together even though we have a very sensitive seven-year-old… But I was moved to write a review for this one because they did not mention the fact that a sweet ant who had become a friend to the children (and tried to save their lives) was stung and killed by a scorpion. My son cried for like an hour! (“Did the ant really die, Mommy?!”) Usually (thanks to these fabulous reviews) I warn him about stuff like this and then he can tolerate it… I hope my review helps another sensitive kid either be prepared for that scene or prepared for the fact that their parent will fast forward that scene. ;)

This title has:

Too much violence
7 people found this helpful.
Emily C.
Emily C. Parent of 4 and 8-year-old
January 30, 2021
age 10+

Teenage romance not for 6+

Too much teenage romance for kids... regret picking this one because it also put me to sleep. Little kids might enjoy it but pick up bad words.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
2 people found this helpful.
See all 27 parent reviews

What's the Story?

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS gets rolling when nerdy inventor Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) accidentally shrinks his kids Amy and Nick as well as neighbor kid Ron. Faced with giant insects and other perils such as lawn mowers and sprinklers, the trio must rely on their stamina and ingenuity to survive a day and night in an over-large world. They also make many attempts to alert the adults to their whereabouts.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (27):
Kids say (25):

Two-dimensional characters play second fiddle to the visual effects of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The gizmos are fun and plentiful, and Rick Moranis does what he can with the all-too-familiar role of the nerdy, misunderstood inventor. Moranis is actually more endearing and low-key here than we're used to seeing him, in part because he isn't given all that much to do and because he's the most sympathetic and appealing character the film has to offer. Even with imperiled kids riding bees or dodging giant water drops, it's hard to muster up enough enthusiasm to root for the would-be heroes.

The film's real disappointment isn't its short-of-cash special effects -- they're fun in their cheesy way -- but its ham-handedness in dealing with the emotional aspects of the story. There's no life to the budding romance between two teens from opposite sides of the fence, and the idea of an ant befriending four tiny humans provides a few needed chuckles although none are intended. Suffice it to say that if a shrinking machine could not only shrink stuff but repair shaky marriages and reconcile family strife with the flip of a switch, somebody would have invented that switch by now.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the nerdy inventor character. Does he seem familiar? What other movies can you think of that have a character like this? Why do we see so many stereotypes in movies? Does this bother you?

  • How are teens in the 1980s depicted in this movie, and how are they similar to and different from teens who are depicted today?

  • If this movie was remade today, how would the special effects be different?

Movie Details

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