Paul McCartney's Destiny Music Video Is Painful To Watch

Paul McCartney released the music video for his original Destiny song "Hope for the Future." If you want to retain respect for McCartney or Destiny, you probably shouldn't watch it.

The music video is composed of footage of Destiny. A hologram of Paul McCartney performs his song for a few soldiers.

Jason Schreier over at Kotaku summed the video up pretty well: "Paul McCartney's hologram flailing his arms while a group of guardians sits in a semi-circle, peacefully contemplating what it means to be human."

WIRED, who exclusively debuted the music video, was obligated to act impressed.

"Just as in the game, the song’s grandeur perfectly matches the often jaw-dropping landscapes," the site says of the music video.

I'm not really hearing the "grandeur" here. This song's a forgettable, sugary ballad that denizens of Destiny would probably force their children to sing at elementary school graduation. Here's a sample of the lyrics:

We'll be togethersharing the loadwatching in wonder as our lives unfoldHope for the futureIt's coming soon enoughHow much can we achieve?Hope for the futureIt will belong to usif we believeif we believe

If the Olympics still exist in Destiny's future, this is the sort of song they'd play during the closing parade.

On top of that, this isn't even a good music video. It's basically the most boring trailer for Destiny you've ever watched. The creators apparently decided that showing Guardians fighting aliens wouldn't match the maudlin tone of the song. As a result, we only see Guardians running, riding their Sparrows, or watching McCartney sing.

"Well, at least Paul McCartney got paid a crap-ton of money to do this, right? I'd make some shitty elevator music for a video game too if they drove a dump truck full of money to my door."

That's the thing: McCartney didn't get paid a thing to make this song or music video.

"There was no check involved, big or otherwise. He’s in it for the creativity," community manager Eric Osborne told Vulture. "He got a wonderful opportunity to reach an audience that wouldn’t typically be immersed in Paul McCartney. They might hear the name — of course he’s everywhere, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics, obviously he’s touring and recording nonstop — but he sees it as a way to reach a new audience that might not otherwise hear his music."

Well, a music video set in Destiny is certainly a way to reach millenials. I don't think it's going to convert any of them into McCartney fans, though.

Pete Haas

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.