Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” Video: Review Revue

That sexed-up “Boyfriend” video we were expecting Justin Bieber to drop last night? Psyyyyyyyche! The visual arrived on time, but it was hardly the hands-all-over-Bieb epic we had been sneakily teased with. Still, the 18-year-old Canadian displayed a more mature demeanor than ever in the clip, and the Internet had plenty to say. Were you loving “Boyfriend”? Disappointed? Did it have you seeing shades of *NSYNC’s 2002 vid for “Girlfriend”? Head below to see if your opinions matched those of the critics!

:: New York Daily News notes the following: “The 18-year-old pop star debuted the eagerly-anticipated video…which Bieber has promised will feature a more mature sound than the bubbly tween-friendly material that has defined his career to date. The promised steamy opening that was teased in the preview that Bieber showed to a national audience on NBC’s The View earlier this month, however, turns out to have been one big tease.”

:: The Province echoes that sentiment with this: “…for a tune that’s supposed to usher in the just-turned-18-year-old’s ‘mature’ new era, the vibe isn’t that much different from his break-out clip, ‘Baby.’ Bieber is still singing and dancing — dreamily — with a crew of kids. He has his driver’s license this time, though. That’s something.”

:: The Los Angeles Times muses, “Warning: It looks as if turning 18 has freed up Mr. Bieber’s inner sexy. Of course, it’s all relative — he hasn’t exactly drifted in to D’Angelo territory. And it might just be us, ’cause we’re sitting here thinking that even his silly fondue line seems a little tastier with the video playing.”

:: The Washington Post isn’t sure how to process its naughty feelings: “The entire scene actually takes place on a city rooftop, where the 18-year-old singer sits in and on a car, plays guitar, dances and touches a scantily clad woman in a way that made me feel like I’m going to jail. The video really drives home the point that the Biebs is a grown-up now. Deal with it?”

:: E! Online is also marveling at the Biebs’ newfound maturity: “During Bieber’s sexy, whisper talk at the top of the song, we see a mixture of silhouettes of his face and some crazy effects with water (super high-tech, you guys). Once that falsetto hits (you know, the really high notes), an army of women’s hands start caressing him (ahem, Selena Gomez, that’s all you).”

:: The Hollywood Reporter sees shades of that other Justin: “Flash back a decade, and Bieber appears to be taking a page out of the *NSYNC playbook. Not only does the track’s title and subject bear a striking resemblance to their 2002 hit ‘Girlfriend,’ but the videos’ subject matter is nearly identical.”

:: Rolling Stone also gets of JT from the new JB: “The song finds the teen idol pushing into a more mature and sexualized sound – it’s a little like the Ying Yang Twins’ ‘Wait (The Whisper Song)’ and a lot like Justin Timberlake circa FutureSex/LoveSounds – while retaining some of his boyish charm. That boyishness really comes out in the video. Even when Biebs is going for a super-suave front, he can’t help but look like a kid.”

:: Finally, Zap2it.com sums it up with this: “The video definitely isn’t the stuff of sweet teen pop music, but the more mature look (no more Bieber bangs!) and more mature sound suit the 18-year-old.”

What are your own thoughts on Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” video? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!