The visuals work well with the music, as the cuts between the shots match the pace of the music, especially fitting well with the beat of the drums (the gunshot visual at 1:47 is an excellent example of this, as it matches a drum beat). The lyrics of the song also fit the visuals; the narrative aspect of the video is one of action, danger and unpredictability, which is mirrored in the song's title 'Time Bomb' and various lyrics, for example "we knew that we were destined to explode", "resistance is useless" and "like a crash, the whole thing spun out of control".
The music video is very performance driven, with the majority of the shots being of the band performing on the rooftop. Despite the fact that the video switches between the performance and a narrative storyline through parallel editing, the viewer can clearly tell that the band are the key focus. There is also consistent lip-syncing throughout, which is evident through the use of Close-Ups and Mid-Shots showing Alex singing. The rest of the band members also play their respective instruments with enthusiasm, creating a realistic portrayal of a typical All Time Low performance.
Due to the fact that actors are used as the lead roles in the narrative, the band members do not switch between artist performance and artist-in-character performance. This ensures that the band is consistently performing, showing how they focus, first and foremost, on the music. The audience would typically expect All Time Low to be lively, energetic and enthusiastic throughout the duration of their performances, and there is no doubt that they deliver this in the music video. The narrative is also very engaging, with a Sci-Fi twist, as the video portrays an almost dystopian world, and explores the universal theme of forbidden love.
The colouring of the video is very stylized, with a colour scheme of beige and black, connoting the dystopian element of the narrative. The make-up is also very prominent, as the band members have practically flawless complexions, and the actors also look very 'Hollywood', as if they are in an Action blockbuster. The instruments also add to the glamorous aspect of the video, as they all look shiny and almost brand new.
There is a strong sense of development in the narrative part of the video, as the audience sees the man saving the girl (transition from illness to health), then them running away from the armed men (physical change- from one place to another) and finally they get caught, revealing the girl's secret. Artist identity is also strongly presented in the video, as Alex and Jack (singer and guitarist) are wearing shirts from their own clothing lines (AWG and JAGK), and we also see them in their typical formation on stage (Jack on the left, Alex in the middle, Zack on the right and Rian at the back- a formation which fans of the band would be very familiar with).
The constant use of Close-Ups in the video, especially of Alex and Jack, could be interpreted as money/beauty shots. It is evident that there is more footage of Alex and Jack, which could be because they are often seen as the more popular members of the band, and therefore the music video editors are just giving the fans what they want. There are also a lot of CU's of the instruments, which are very iconic in All Time Low videos.
Interestingly, the video uses juxtaposition between the girl and the armed men, in order to convey a sense of character. The girl's white dress shows her innocence and purity and she is very bare, which is then contrasted by the black clothing of the men, with their guns and body padding. This could connote how she is very vulnerable and has been laid bare, whereas the men are much more shielded, which could be suggesting that the men have something to hide.
There is a distinct lack of discontinuous editing, as the whole sequence is chronological, however the band members do sometimes jump from one place to another in between shots, which could be construed as discontinuity.
The lyrics don't necessarily refer to popular culture, as they are very personal and non-satirical, however the video does contain some pop culture references. The hero character is seen wearing Dr Dre Beats headphones (which could just be product placement). However, the biggest popular culture reference is the item that the hero fixes and implants into the girl's chest to save her. This is almost certainly a nod to the popular Iron Man franchise, as the item is almost a replica of the infamous 'arc-reactor'. Moreover, the girl is portrayed by Malese Jow, a famous actress who has previously appeared on the hit-show "The Vampire Diaries" and as Alice in the film, "The Social Network".
The video is very polysemic in nature, as there are a lot of loose ends left at the end, and we do not know why the girl was almost dying, or why the men were chasing the hero. However, the audience can deduce that the constructed world in the music video is somewhat apocalyptic, and perhaps the 'Time Bomb' is counting down to the end. The most obvious reading is of forbidden/doomed love, which is portrayed through the lyrics "we were destined to explode" and the couple's surrender at the end of the video. These are some of the many readings that can be taken out of this video.
Overall, the video had a very strong, positive audience response. Some fans (myself included) think that it is the band's best video to date, and many found the concept to be very striking, due to the colouring, lighting and unparalleled enthusiasm of 4 artists who have a genuine passion for performing their music.
