“Not to worry. See? It's dry. Whoever dropped this left a long time ago. Maybe weeks, or months. Nope, the only thing you gotta worry about is if we ran into... a wet one.”
From Walt Disney Pictures, this sci-fi adventure film stars Rick Moranis as inventor Wayne Szalinski who accidentally shrinks his kids and his neighbors’ kids to the size of fleas with his newly invented shrinking machine. Not only that, but the kids are forced to make their way through the thick jungles of the backyard after they are swept up and thrown out with the trash.
The supporting cast includes: Matt Frewer as ill-tempered next-door neighbor “Big Russ” Thompson Sr., Marcia Strassman as wife Diane Szalinski, Kristine Sutherland as Mae Thompson, Amy O’Neill as typical teenage girl Amy Szalinski, Robert Oliveri (who also played Winona Ryder’s little brother in Edward Scissorhands) as young science nerd Nick Szalinski, Thomas Wilson Brown as insecure “Little Russ” Thompson Jr. and Jared Rushton (who also played the best friend of Tom Hanks’ character in Big) as sports-loving Ron Thompson. A crucial animal character includes the Szalinski family dog named Quark.
Of all the performances in this movie, Rick Moranis takes center stage in a lead performance that distinguishes him from his previous roles. What’s more, he still maintains a nerdy image whilst playing a bumbling father/nutty scientist who goes on a microscopic search for the kids.
In terms of analyzing the dynamic between the two neighbors, the Szalinskis are a dysfunctional family living under scientific misfortune. Meanwhile, the Thompsons are under the strict patriarchal discipline of Big Russ, who pushes his older son to follow in his footsteps and neglects his younger son despite the latter’s outdoorsy style. Both families, particularly the kids, start out hostile toward each other (with the exception of Little Russ, who has a secret crush on Amy), but gradually learn to cooperate along the way.
The film takes a huge step forward in creating a spectacular variety of special effects involving state-of-the-art illusion that combines miniaturized children with oversized props that appear terrifying. Examples include: a giant bee flying swiftly around the yard (with Nick and Little Russ forced to hang on for dear life), torrential splashes of water from the sprinkler system and a runaway lawn mower. On the upside, the kids befriend a juvenile ant (given the nickname “Antie”) that helps them on their journey. They even come across a huge Oatmeal Cream cookie from Little Debbie (a personal favorite snack of Antie) that resolves their growing hunger. Another magnified food item depicted in the movie (but instead serves as yet another life-threatening hazard) is a bowl of Cheerios.
This movie has just enough physical and sci-fi comedy to convey a sense of family-friendly fun. In other words, this film has the right ingredients for an amusing Disney motion picture classic as opposed to an old-fashioned sci-fi B Movie.
Although the movie doesn’t have much of a soundtrack, one scene (prior to the shrinking mishap) features Amy dancing to Nick Kamen’s “Turn It Up” while mopping up the kitchen.
Finally, the significance of this film is not just a matter of neighborly appreciation, but no matter what size you are, the great outdoors can be quite mysterious in the sense that you never know what you might encounter in your own backyard. In closing, even if you’re not sure what to think of this particular story, I’m positive you’ll have a scientific blast as I recommend this hugely entertaining movie to every sci-fi fan.
WARNING: this Disney movie may be too scary for younger children with one scene regarding an attack by a monstrous scorpion.