New Video: Rihanna – ‘Russian Roulette’
The music video for Rihanna’s hit single ‘Russian Roulette’ has finally been released. The project was directed by Anthony Mandler and features a cameo appearance from Grey’s Anatomy regular, Jesse Williams. ‘Russian Roulette’ has thus far peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rihanna’s new album, ‘Rated R’, hits stores on November 23rd.
I loved it! Dark, edgy, passionate and visually enticing. Her team certainly knocked it out of the park with this one. I can’t fathom a better way of bringing the song onto the silver screen. I was completely engrossed for the entire duration of the clip. Great job to everyone involved!
Thoughts?
Filed Under: Rihanna
Curtis
November 13, 2009 at 11:43 am
A nice commentary about Rihanna without one smug sly dig at her? Wow… That Grape Juice is improving after all.
chase
November 13, 2009 at 11:49 am
wooooooooooooooooooow amazing u never hated on her i love thatgrapejuice even more know
whystillinbusiness
November 13, 2009 at 11:51 am
Sam is being very sarcastic this time and y’all know it! That was not good, it borders on being boring. She went to a place she never should have and she needs thereapy! The storyline sucks just like her new CD..
TJ
November 13, 2009 at 11:54 am
Visually this video is AMAZING… I have to admit I am Floored. This is how one should do a music video. Great Job.
mickey
November 13, 2009 at 11:57 am
i like it. she so on anbother level. this vid looks like a movie i’de see. her gettin shot like that was art. i loved it. she’s not bey she’s not gaga she rihanna & she’s holding here own. i love seeing real video’s like back in the day when video’s were the ish.
& yeah im happy u didnt throw any shade like yall usually do.
five stars for rih & tGj
bobs
November 13, 2009 at 11:58 am
Wow. I can’t stop watching it. It really is perfect for the song. The gas chamber, red smoke, tigers. The scene in the night, middle of nowhere, with the car running her over? For me, that’s the moment all that shit with Cris went down and plunged her to such a dark place – taking place at the crescendo of the song. Wow. Dark as hell – but I am seriously loving this side of Rihanna – and also hoping she finds some light in the next album.
I just heard her entire album, and that shit is out of the PARK. Those 30 second clips don’t do justice here. G4L for instance, instantly amazing. Hot opening. Wow. Today is Christmas for me. If Take a Bow / Disturbia / Run This Town didn’t make me a Rihanna stan, I am hard-core there right now.
bobs
November 13, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Someone at UKMIX posted this interpretation: Those guys are putting her through life changing tests (death) to see if she will survive them and she does because she is invulnerable to death. That’s why they test her to see if she will survive the gas chamber, car, under water shooting and the Russian Roulette game.
Spot on, spot on.
Thatmangojuice
November 13, 2009 at 12:09 pm
yes! yes! yes! I loved the whole vibe and story in this video. Although i had pictured it differently in my head when listening to the song but this definitely works.
”Random tidbit” as said often on the site: That dude is totally the new resident from Mercy West Hospital in Grey’s Anatomy.
wtf
November 13, 2009 at 12:09 pm
ok lets not lie..concept fits the song but miss fentys attempts to act are beyong laughable….she has to get a razzi for this one..
vid is not bad but its not my cup of tea..i just hope the mainstream people who buy her victim act and role model shit will eat this one up but doubt it…good luck on that one!!! she needs the more to buy that garbage of her so lest see if i works..
ps, i would rather watch gaga all day..i lost focus mid may through this..no joke!!!
Gareth
November 13, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Loved the video. Great watch. Din’t expect anything less though (”,)
Thatmangojuice
November 13, 2009 at 12:13 pm
”A nice commentary about Rihanna without one smug sly dig at her? Wow… That Grape Juice is improving after all.”
That’s a trent post
Also the male actor: http://blindie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/jesse_williams.jpg
heyy
November 13, 2009 at 12:18 pm
OOOOOO i like u better than sam
atleast u can write a quick proffesional review
NOT REVIEW COMING SOON FOR LIKE A WEEK
NO SHADE SAM BUT U DO SLACK
Stoney-Brie
November 13, 2009 at 12:21 pm
i don get everything the song and the video, the acting skills suck! but i gotta she looks stunning!! she should just start modeling or something…
btw outfit she’s rocking on the “scene” with the guy sitting exchanging guns or something is rocked by Janet on her new Make me video, i saw the shorts from the GMA commercial.
bobs
November 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I think this is only going to drive the song further up the charts. It’s already #9. People needed to see the triumph in this song. And to see that she is “invincible” in this video, immortal, really is the ray of the light here. It just gives a definitive answer to the lyric, “I know that I must pass this test…” Bitch did pass it, in fine form.
And her acting? On point. Yowza!
shespeakz
November 13, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Im depressed after watching this lol
gina
November 13, 2009 at 12:33 pm
video cinematography is great however the song and video is too dark and depressing for me- i want my spirits to be lifted up this holiday so no more views for me – i’m bothered because the theme of this video is not good for impressionalble youth and G4L is ridiculous with all the swearing and love for guns…licking the gun,,,,really Rihanna, really
#fail
Jewels4J
November 13, 2009 at 12:34 pm
OMG! this is amazing! This one of the few videos other than Gagas Paparazzi that actually had me glued to the screen for the entire 4 minutes. Its dark and moody but it fits with the song so perfectly. This is most defintely gonna be a hate hate hate it or a love love love it video.
bobs
November 13, 2009 at 12:44 pm
@ GINA. You need to go by Mylie Cyrus or Taylor Swift if you want happy peaches and pop tart music. Everyone was saying Umbrella was too sexy when it came out.. If you don’t want dark this holiday season then I guess you won’t be seeing about 90% of the movies slated to come out.
bobs
November 13, 2009 at 12:45 pm
@ GINA. You need to go buy Mylie Cyrus or Taylor Swift if you want happy peaches and pop tart music. Everyone was saying Umbrella was too sexy when it came out.. If you don’t want dark this holiday season then I guess you won’t be seeing about 90% of the movies slated to come out.
Terrence
November 13, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Nice, but I won’t watch it again, I love my life and I’m in a happy place.
parisian girl
November 13, 2009 at 1:03 pm
this video is AMAZING!!!
hihihihihi
November 13, 2009 at 1:08 pm
A GREAT VIDEO.
TRENT U ARE THE BEST ON HERE PROFFESIONAL AND A TRUE REAL SMART PERSON
HANDS DOWN U ARE THE SHIT
Ps
November 13, 2009 at 1:18 pm
big ups to trent, great video, watch the sonp go to no 1
trucie
November 13, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Omg shucks, I was so hoping th video was great and it is. im very impressed with the production on this one.
Phoenix
November 13, 2009 at 1:30 pm
the vid is beautiful and perfect. the way i interpret it is that every time she has a relationship or attempts to fall in love, she is hurt by the person so bad she might as well die, and they even leave her for dead, but she has survived every round. and she know she must past this “test” the test of life. and the guy died at the end cause he couldnt survive his own game, basically like fighting fire with fire.
what a beautiful message. u have to the risk or what is the point to life.
HEALTHY BLACK QUEENS
November 13, 2009 at 1:49 pm
It did nothing for me. After her fans excused the violent undertones for a deeper meaning, it was disappointing to see the gun included. Maybe it’d be better without it. The car, the interrogation room and the swimming scene have all been done before. At least they took away the focus on her baring her breasts, for the first time this era.
Ilia
November 13, 2009 at 2:29 pm
the vid wont play for me
wtf
how can i get it to work
James
November 13, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Musically wise, it’s too dark for me.
H-Town
November 13, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I don’t get it…
Interpretation anyone?
mack
November 13, 2009 at 5:09 pm
The video explains how indestructible Rihanna is.
She avoids being killed by the gas chamber, by a car, by animals and lastly by bullets.
They try to kill her and fail. However, her partner, who you see was disguised in the chamber, ends up losing Russian Roulette in the end.
Rihanna prevails and metaphorically, she wins in the relationship.
rightround
November 13, 2009 at 5:24 pm
lol at the stans praising Trent. he just said her voice injects pain in his ears in her other post. lol. Trant is just honest with his opinion… he’s not a rihanna fan.
if y’all want a rihanna stan then go to toyas’s site. she calls everything rihanna does epic.
anyway i felt i was suppose to like this video but i didn’t. her acting is laughable. can this girl do anything? yeah and playing russian roulette in the video with the guy was crossing the line. wow.
Ilia
November 13, 2009 at 10:34 pm
som deep shit
i like it a lot
Just Sayin'
November 14, 2009 at 3:48 am
The song sucks. The video is better than the song, but it sucks too. Its too dark, too depressing. She looked beautiful in the video, though.
arfa
November 14, 2009 at 4:27 am
I really like it suits the song
8/10 in my books
Mr. Mouth
November 14, 2009 at 7:54 am
Ah…
venus
November 14, 2009 at 8:33 am
I’m surprised at all the great comments.I thought it was the typical rihanna looking beautiful standing in a room,rihanna looking beautiful sitting at a table, rihanna looking beautiful standing in a field, etc. but then again i am watching it on my phone so maybe i’ll catch all the great cinematography and metaphors i apparently missed.
Toni
November 14, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I can’t believe, finally a positive comment about RiRi!
anonymouss
November 14, 2009 at 5:53 pm
can’t wait to see how many people will start committing suicide after hearing these dark lyrics & watching such depressing images on pop radio stations.
Ps
November 15, 2009 at 12:43 am
who is crazy enough to think people will kill themselves because of a song? u must be very stupid 2 think dat, m sure everyone has seen a dark movie now and then but it dont make them wanna kill themselves. and the lyrics dont talk about suicide dumbass.
number1k9
November 15, 2009 at 3:30 pm
So I wasn’t to happy that the album didn’t feature the sound that she supposedly said she was going to go for which was “Disturbia,” “Breakin’ Dishes”, & “Shut Up & Drive.” I think that could have been a winning formula! On top of that sound being abandoned she didn’t continue the Dance Pop sound that was heavily featured on ‘Good Girl Gone Bad.’
There were some catchy/ good songs such as “Hard” “Cold Case Love” “Wait Your Turn” and “Rude Boy,” but I think the album isn’t not up to ‘GGGB’ standards at all, it will not easily top it’s success unless she re-releases this into a crazy out of this world album! Hope she releases the right singles off of this album! I see this being a make or breaking of her musical longevity.
Here is my full length review of ‘Rated R’
http://number1k9.blogspot.com/2009/11/rihanna-rated-r-album-review.html