HONEY I BLEW UP THE KID
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
When I was growing up, the kids' movies, even (or especially) the B movies, had one redeeming feature: a fascination with science. What better way to enliven a kid's imagination than a science fiction film?
The HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS series provides not only science fiction, but the appreciation for creativity and the whole invention process. Moreover, they celebrate quirky people as people to be admired rather than ridiculed since their big ideas might just work.
The second film in this series is director Randal Kleiser's HONEY I BLEW UP THE KID. Released in 1992, it represents a nicely done B movie for the whole family. The slightly hokey special effects are just realistic enough not to be ridiculed.
The same cast for the Szalinski family is back from the original, but this time they have a two year old named Adam, played alternatively by twins Daniel and Joshua Shalikar. Rick Moranis repeats his role as Wayne, the father and Rube Goldberg-style inventor. Marcia Strassman plays his understanding wife Diane. Robert Oliveri, as Nick, has hit puberty and has his eyes cast on Adam's baby-sitter, Mandy Park (Keri Russell). Amy O'Neill returns only briefly as Nick's sister Amy.
The premise of the show is that Wayne is trying to perfect a machine to enlarge items. Adam accidentally walks into the path of its laser, and, voila, giant toddler on the way. As Adam grows by leaps and bounds, they figure out that he has growth spurts when he comes close to electrical waves.
Where does he go to sop up electricity? Why Las Vegas, of course, with all its neon glitter. Beside, what more visually interesting place to film a giant than a backdrop of neon figures as big as this Godzilla-sized toddler.
I will not reveal the resolution to their predicament, but here's a hint. "There's one thing every little kid knows," Diane tells us. "Daddies mean fun; mommies mean business."
A film that from start to finish is good spirited family fun, it never lapses into parody and never pretends to be more than it is.
HONEY I BLEW UP THE KID runs just 1:29. It is rated PG, but I am not sure why. The film would be fine for all ages. The recent video HONEY WE SHRUNK OURSELVES is our 8-year-old Jeffrey's favorite in this series, but he likes HONEY I BLEW UP THE KID too. I recommend this picture to you and your family and give it ** 1/2.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: April 19, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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