User Reviews

This is the music video for the song "Childhood" by Michael Jackson and this one was released in 1995, so it will have its 25th anniversary soon, maybe already did depending on when you read this review. The director is Nicholas Brandt, who worked with Michael on several occasions. It runs for 4.5 minutes only and this certainly means it is among MJ's very shortest works indeed looking at how some of his music videos are so incredibly long that they rather feel like movies than music videos, also story-wise. I would say this isn't a bad one here. The song is okay, the music video is solid too, even if walking the edge of being fine and being pretentious in terms of the magic and fantasy aspect it is trying to deliver. These flying ships don't look bad though, I give them that. Apparently this one is closely connected to a Free Willy movie, well I saw nothing of that here admittedly except the presence of Jason James Richter perhaps, the star from the franchise. Actually this one includes some actors who made it successful later on and are still active in the industry like the pretty young Christensen and Capra, but most of all Jena Malone. Overall as this was still 15 years ago almost away from the untimely death of Jackson, I was a bit shocked how he looked here in his mid-30s already. I did not remember his transformation into a white man happened this early to such an extent already. Anyway, kinda fitting the kids here are also all white. Especially with the recent new accusations against Jackson in terms of his dubious relationship with this children, this music video should be watched with caution. Or should it? I am not sure. I read others say thy could not leave Michael alone during his lifetime and now he also cannot rest in peace. i think it is up to you to decide. There is no one correct answer and there probably never will be. Aside from that, quality-wise I am not convinced by this one overall. It is not bad visually and audibly, but also not good enough for a positive recommendation. I can see why it is nowhere near the songs most listened to and music videos most seen when it comes to Michael jackson's body of work. It also did not make me as emotional as I hoped it could. Go for something else instead.