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Honey We Shrunk Ourselves
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment // PG // October 8, 2002
List Price: $19.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
There is something much more interesting about being small, invisible, and navigating your way through familiar objects that are now HUGE than being an enlarging baby, but in this third installment of the trilogy it becomes somewhat tired, rehashed, and flat.
Wayne Szalinkski is now joined by his brother Gordon Szalinkski (played by Stuart Pankin) in the family business of creating and marketing inventions. Amy and Nick are now gone from the family (and this movie) as they have matured enough to be on their own, so for the children in this film we have Adam Szalinkski (played by Bug Hall) who was the baby at the time of the second movie "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" and is now 8 years old. The cousins, Jenny and Mick Szalinkski (Allison Mack and Jake Richardson) also join in the fun when the kids take over the house while the parents are miniaturized. To start our story the wives, Diane Szalinkski (now played by Eve Gordon) and Patti Szalinkski (Robin Bartlett from "Mad About You") are going on vacation. Wayne is tasked to stay home with the kids along with Gordon. The ladies return prematurely only to find Gordon and Wayne in the attic playing around with the shirnking machine trying to shrink down Waynes giant Tiki that Diane has demanded he get rid of. They all get shrunk down (surprise surprise!) and now must find a way to get downstairs to tell the kids what has happened. Meanwhile the kids are setting up a party and lots of fun as no parents seem to be in sight. While the kids carry on with their party and general mischief, the parents encounter more insects, a wild hot wheel style roller coaster ride and using a bubble machine to float down to the first floor of the house. Wayne and Gordon figure out a way to communicate to the kids by way of the home stereo while the ladies find their way to the kitchen counter and make friends with a computer generated daddy long legged spider (aww...how cute). Everything wraps up in typical Disney style at the end and wham bam, you have another episode in the tiresome Szalinkski saga.
This movie is more entertaining the the second film, but not nearly as good as the original. Seriously lacking in originality this time and in fact many of the scenarios are not terribly interesting or involving enough to keep most adults engaged. I would classify this film as a start-it-and-forget-it for the the kids who may enjoy it. Rick Moranis is certainly entertaining as always, but it would be nice to have his character a little more true to the original. Bug Hall is also talented and makes for some humorous scenes and situations.
VIDEO: You are NOT given a choice with this film. It's only available in a Pan & Scan Full Screen version. The colors are a bit muted and the picture lacks any real sharpness. There is also a noticeable amount of dust and even some spots on the film that they failed to clean up. Artifacts are noticeable throughout. While I don't like seeing DVDs released with such bad production value, I think the first film, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" is far more deserving of better treatment.
AUDIO: Quality is fairly dull and lacks any punch in this 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Beyond your basic ambience, the surrounds are not engaged with this mix, and the LFE channel is very subtle. The center channel is well seperated from the left and right front for dialog.
MENUS: The menu designs are static and typical of low budget production.
BONUS MATERIALS: Absolutely none.
Summary: Plop this one in the DVD player and see if the kids like it for it's doubtful most people will. If you want the genuine article then get the original "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" - You will be much happier. Another rental for the kiddies.
Wayne Szalinkski is now joined by his brother Gordon Szalinkski (played by Stuart Pankin) in the family business of creating and marketing inventions. Amy and Nick are now gone from the family (and this movie) as they have matured enough to be on their own, so for the children in this film we have Adam Szalinkski (played by Bug Hall) who was the baby at the time of the second movie "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" and is now 8 years old. The cousins, Jenny and Mick Szalinkski (Allison Mack and Jake Richardson) also join in the fun when the kids take over the house while the parents are miniaturized. To start our story the wives, Diane Szalinkski (now played by Eve Gordon) and Patti Szalinkski (Robin Bartlett from "Mad About You") are going on vacation. Wayne is tasked to stay home with the kids along with Gordon. The ladies return prematurely only to find Gordon and Wayne in the attic playing around with the shirnking machine trying to shrink down Waynes giant Tiki that Diane has demanded he get rid of. They all get shrunk down (surprise surprise!) and now must find a way to get downstairs to tell the kids what has happened. Meanwhile the kids are setting up a party and lots of fun as no parents seem to be in sight. While the kids carry on with their party and general mischief, the parents encounter more insects, a wild hot wheel style roller coaster ride and using a bubble machine to float down to the first floor of the house. Wayne and Gordon figure out a way to communicate to the kids by way of the home stereo while the ladies find their way to the kitchen counter and make friends with a computer generated daddy long legged spider (aww...how cute). Everything wraps up in typical Disney style at the end and wham bam, you have another episode in the tiresome Szalinkski saga.
This movie is more entertaining the the second film, but not nearly as good as the original. Seriously lacking in originality this time and in fact many of the scenarios are not terribly interesting or involving enough to keep most adults engaged. I would classify this film as a start-it-and-forget-it for the the kids who may enjoy it. Rick Moranis is certainly entertaining as always, but it would be nice to have his character a little more true to the original. Bug Hall is also talented and makes for some humorous scenes and situations.
VIDEO: You are NOT given a choice with this film. It's only available in a Pan & Scan Full Screen version. The colors are a bit muted and the picture lacks any real sharpness. There is also a noticeable amount of dust and even some spots on the film that they failed to clean up. Artifacts are noticeable throughout. While I don't like seeing DVDs released with such bad production value, I think the first film, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" is far more deserving of better treatment.
AUDIO: Quality is fairly dull and lacks any punch in this 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Beyond your basic ambience, the surrounds are not engaged with this mix, and the LFE channel is very subtle. The center channel is well seperated from the left and right front for dialog.
MENUS: The menu designs are static and typical of low budget production.
BONUS MATERIALS: Absolutely none.
Summary: Plop this one in the DVD player and see if the kids like it for it's doubtful most people will. If you want the genuine article then get the original "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" - You will be much happier. Another rental for the kiddies.
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