LAist’s Emily Lerman royal we’s her enjoyment of the visually stunning new video titled “The Ride,” inspired by the song “Kings + Queens” from 30 Seconds To Mars. Me, not so much.
The 8.5-minute short (the last 2-plus minutes of which are the credits) centers around a Midnight Ridazz-esque group night ride featuring Jared Leto and his band pedaling along with a purported group of actual Ridazz — I say “purported” because individual close-ups reveal them all to be far too sullenly sans FUN as they journey glumly in the dark across and under the requisite downtown locations such as the 6th Street Bridge, the Second Street tunnel, and Grand Street. Seriously: Why so serious?
But everything’s great eye candy and otherwise going mostly awesome and only threatening to be hugely overwrought and ultra-serious like the song until the video’s director, Bartholomew Cubbins, decides to have a paid-actor/stuntperson get fatally creamed on his bike by a motorist near Pershing Square. Then, while everyone stands dumbly around by the body like powered-down replicants, poor Cubbins couldn’t help but trot out a hornless unicorn galloping in slo-mo up a dark street. Of course, with a visual like that the dead ridah can’t help but awaken refreshed from his unplanned road nap, and just get up on his undamaged bike to ride away.
After that there’s more of Leto singing, then a critical mass-style “circle of death” at an ironically traffic-less intersection. Then all the still way-too-bummed cyclists start wailing like a giant gruff chorus along with Leto until they magically arrive at the Santa Monica Pier where they disappear. Fade to black.
Your mileage may vary from my curmudgeonly take.
I’m pretty sure that U2 performed the actual song and then there’s a bunch of guys just lip synching along in the video. Maybe they’re trying to re connect with the teeny bopper generation and don’t want to come off as scary old guys.
Will you will always be a part of Midnight Ridazz forever and ever my friend. No reason to be bitter just because MTV shined you… :)
…yet again.
LOL Roadblock! MTV’s shined me so much I gleam.
Weak song, great visuals.
More importantly, the cyclist was obviously at fault in this video. And where are the helmets, people?
No, the driver was at fault. The street was clearly closed to traffic for the making of a “film”, but he ignored the rent-a-cops and deliberately drove around the barricades. We can only be thankful for the power of resurection.
Uh, sorry: resurrection.
30 seconds to Mars.
3 seconds to pretentious.
30 light years from U2.
Ok the kid that got hit is an idiot, Who rides a bike at night with a gas mask on? Also with your orange hood pulled up over your head, great way to see where your going.
Second, when he hit the car and rolled onto the ground, he gas mask was still covering his face. How did it end up pulled down around his chin? Did one of the retard friends come over and pull it down then go back and wait from 10 feet away?
The Big issue here is cycists wearing gas masks. And somehow I think this epidemic is tied to the 2 bike rule on mta trains.