The words “Choose Your Own Adventure” recall an array of childhood memories. After pacing down the aisles of the musty school library and looking over the titles, it was always easy to be drawn to an R.A. Montgomery novel. Why? Well, for starters, those cheesy-sounding titles and creepy-looking illustrations were nearly enough, but the ability to choose your own path of reading was always the determining factor.
Within the realm of juvenile entertainment, the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series is legendary; and, in today’s free society, choice is paramount. By granting this generation’s pre-teens the capacity to pick their own cinematic plots via DVD remote, the C.Y.O.A. publishers are certainly doing their part in keeping up with the times. The result is an entertaining DVD that is notable in its structure, yet flat and childish in its content.
The three North kids, Ben (Frankie Muniz), Crista (Lacey Chabert), and Marco (Daryl Sabara), venture to Kathmandu, Nepal to save their exploring Uncle Rudy (William H. Macy). Uncle Rudy’s obsession with the abominable snowman has placed him in quite a pickle and in need of rescue.
The first interactive decision arrives when the kids’ plane experiences turbulence. At this point, you must choose to parachute from the diving aircraft or attempt to land the plane safely. From here, a web of choices must be decided upon — leading up to one of 13 different endings, the best of which explain the origins of the yeti, while the worst of which end abruptly in ill fate (or even depict a despicable sponsorship by Life cereal).
To say that Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman is suitable for all ages would be a bold-faced lie. The DVD appeals far more to the kiddy crowd than that of the adventure-thirsty grown-up segment. It’s well enough for the young, but too full of immature puns and wisecracks for the average movie veteran.
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Article comments
1 - Guppusmaximus
It's a shame to hear that about the DVD but I was entranced with those books when I was a kid. I don't believe that R.A. Montgomery had anything to do with this though, did he?
2 - kanrei
The main thrill of the CYOA books was that they were written in a way that made you the star of the story. You not only decided, but you were a character in the story. I don't see how a movie can capture the same first person experiance that made the CYOA series so magical.
I loved every one of them as a kid. Along with Encylopedia Brown, CYOA were some of my best memories.
3 - Aaron Jackson
Just came across this posting, and actually I really enjoyed the DVD. I bought it for my nephew (7) and he loved the stories and choosing which way to go. It brought me back to my childhood. A