Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Wayne Szalinski is at it again. But instead of shrinking things, he tries to make a machine that can make things grow. As in the first one, his machine isn't quite accurate. But when he brings Nick & his toddler son Adam to see his invention, the machine unexpectedly starts working. And when Adam comes right up to the machine, he gets zapped along with his stuffed bunny.
Working with a respectable budget of $40.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $58.7M in global revenue (+47% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) demonstrates meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Randal Kleiser's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 29 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Wayne Szalinski
Diane Szalinski
Adam Szalinski
Amy Szalinski
Nick Szalinski
Dr. Charles Hendrickson
Clifford Sterling
Main Cast & Characters
Wayne Szalinski
Played by Rick Moranis
An eccentric inventor whose shrinking technology accidentally enlarges his toddler son to giant size.
Diane Szalinski
Played by Marcia Strassman
Wayne's supportive but often exasperated wife who helps manage the chaos of their giant toddler.
Adam Szalinski
Played by Daniel Shalikar
The two-year-old son who grows to enormous size after exposure to his father's enlarging ray.
Amy Szalinski
Played by Amy O'Neill
Wayne and Diane's responsible teenage daughter who helps care for her younger siblings.
Nick Szalinski
Played by Robert Oliveri
Wayne and Diane's teenage son who assists his father in trying to reverse the enlargement.
Dr. Charles Hendrickson
Played by John Shea
Wayne's corporate supervisor who initially dismisses Wayne's work but later wants to exploit it.
Clifford Sterling
Played by Lloyd Bridges
Wayne's arrogant corporate boss determined to control the shrinking technology for profit.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Wayne Szalinski works at Sterling Labs on his molecular expansion experiments while struggling with work-life balance. His toddler Adam plays with toys while older brother Nick feels neglected by his inventor father.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Wayne is fired from Sterling Labs when his demonstration fails. Dr. Hendrickson shuts down his experiment and takes control of the technology. Wayne must clear out his lab, threatening his life's work.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The family discovers Adam has grown to seven feet tall overnight. Wayne realizes his enlarging technology works but is dangerously uncontrollable. They must keep Adam hidden while Wayne figures out how to reverse the process., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Adam grows to over 50 feet tall and walks toward Las Vegas, drawn by the bright lights and electricity. The situation escalates from family crisis to public catastrophe. The military gets involved, raising the stakes dramatically. False defeat: the situation seems impossible to control., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 66 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The military prepares to use lethal force against Adam. Wayne's pleas are ignored. Adam, confused and scared by the attacks, becomes more dangerous. Wayne faces losing his son forever. The "whiff of death": Adam could be killed, and it would be Wayne's fault for choosing work over family., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 71 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Wayne realizes the solution: Adam responds to his family, especially his mother's lullaby. Wayne synthesizes his scientific knowledge with parental love. He formulates a plan to calm Adam and reverse the growth using the shrinking ray, combining both his skills as scientist and father., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Honey, I Blew Up the Kid against these established plot points, we can identify how Randal Kleiser utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Honey, I Blew Up the Kid within the adventure genre.
Randal Kleiser's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Randal Kleiser films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Honey, I Blew Up the Kid represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Randal Kleiser filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include The Black Stallion, The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots. For more Randal Kleiser analyses, see Big Top Pee-wee, Grease and Flight of the Navigator.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Wayne Szalinski works at Sterling Labs on his molecular expansion experiments while struggling with work-life balance. His toddler Adam plays with toys while older brother Nick feels neglected by his inventor father.
Theme
Diane tells Wayne he needs to pay more attention to the kids and less to his work: "The kids need you here, not at the lab." Theme: Family comes before ambition.
Worldbuilding
Wayne demonstrates his shrinking machine at Sterling Labs but faces skepticism from boss Dr. Hendrickson. At home, family dynamics show tension between Wayne's obsession with work and his responsibilities as a father. Nick feels ignored, Adam is curious and adventurous.
Disruption
Wayne is fired from Sterling Labs when his demonstration fails. Dr. Hendrickson shuts down his experiment and takes control of the technology. Wayne must clear out his lab, threatening his life's work.
Resistance
Wayne debates what to do next. He sneaks back to the lab at night to retrieve his equipment with Nick's help. Meanwhile, baby Adam accidentally gets exposed to Wayne's experimental ray when he wanders into the home lab setup.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The family discovers Adam has grown to seven feet tall overnight. Wayne realizes his enlarging technology works but is dangerously uncontrollable. They must keep Adam hidden while Wayne figures out how to reverse the process.
Mirror World
Wayne bonds with Nick as they work together to solve the Adam crisis. Nick sees his father finally paying attention, and Wayne realizes what he's been missing. Their father-son relationship deepens through shared purpose.
Premise
The "fun and games" of managing a giant toddler. Adam continues growing larger with each electrical exposure. The family tries to hide him, leading to comic chaos. Adam escapes into the neighborhood, growing to house-sized proportions. Wayne races to understand the growth mechanism.
Midpoint
Adam grows to over 50 feet tall and walks toward Las Vegas, drawn by the bright lights and electricity. The situation escalates from family crisis to public catastrophe. The military gets involved, raising the stakes dramatically. False defeat: the situation seems impossible to control.
Opposition
The military, led by Marshall Brooks, plans to neutralize Adam with force. Wayne and family race to Vegas to save Adam before he's harmed. Dr. Hendrickson tries to capitalize on the situation for Sterling Labs. Adam grows to 112 feet, causing massive destruction. Public panic spreads.
Collapse
The military prepares to use lethal force against Adam. Wayne's pleas are ignored. Adam, confused and scared by the attacks, becomes more dangerous. Wayne faces losing his son forever. The "whiff of death": Adam could be killed, and it would be Wayne's fault for choosing work over family.
Crisis
Wayne hits his emotional low point, realizing his obsession with science has endangered his family. He processes that being a good father means being present, not proving his genius. Diane reinforces that they need to reach Adam with love, not technology.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Wayne realizes the solution: Adam responds to his family, especially his mother's lullaby. Wayne synthesizes his scientific knowledge with parental love. He formulates a plan to calm Adam and reverse the growth using the shrinking ray, combining both his skills as scientist and father.
Synthesis
Wayne and Diane work together to calm giant Adam. Diane sings Adam's lullaby while Wayne sets up the shrinking equipment. Nick helps coordinate. The family works as a unit. Wayne successfully shrinks Adam back to normal size, saving him from military intervention and reversing the damage.
Transformation
Wayne has learned to balance family and work. He plays with both kids, fully present and engaged. The family is united and happy. Wayne's inventions now serve his family rather than replace them. Mirror of opening: Wayne chooses family time over lab work.