Berry Ho’s “We 12” presented an intriguing premise when it was released in 2024: a secret crime-fighting league made up of Hong Kong’s biggest boy band, Mirror. With an ensemble cast of talented performers and martial artists, the movie teased the possibility of a fast-paced, fun adventure.
However, “We 12” failed to deliver on this promise. The storyline jumped disjointedly between undeveloped subplots without building a satisfying overarching narrative. Viewers were left disconnected from what was happening on screen. Characterization also proved shallow; while each member’s unique skill offered potential for memorable personalities, these traits were rarely explored in meaningful ways.
The script showed little effort to craft a cohesive mystery or thrilling missions for the characters. It relied too heavily on the band’s existing fanbase rather than creating an entertaining stand-alone film. With tighter plotting and richer roles, “We 12” could have forged a brightly colored Hong Kong comic caper worthy of its leads’ combined star power. Instead, it offered fleeting glimpses of what might have been for this intriguing crimefighting troupe.
Secret Missions of the League of Kaito
The movie centers around an underground crime-fighting group known as the League of Kaito. Made up of 12 talented individuals with unique abilities, the League works to bust nefarious plots and keep communities safe. Led by an enigmatic boss who contacts the team over an emergency hotline, the Kaito take on missions shrouded in secrecy.
When the movie opens, the League members have grown estranged. But their boss gathers them once more to tackle a new threat: the Forbidden Science Society. Under the leadership of the sinister professor, this group conducts experiments that endanger lives. Their latest project is especially worrying: a mosquito zapper with the potential to disrupt ecosystems across dimensions.
The Kaito must infiltrate a science exhibition to locate and dismantle the dangerous device before disaster strikes. But they’ll need to overcome their divisions and use stealth and skills. Subplots emerge around the personalities and backstories of characters like playful Tiger or disguise expert Jer. And the heroes must outwit the evil security chief, Johnny, as he defends the zapper. If the League can’t resolve their issues and prevail, the multiverse may pay a heavy price.
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Defining the League
The movie introduces us to 12 members of the secretive League of Kaito. As big fans of the boy band Mirror, they were excited to see the stars take on these crimefighting roles. But the characters felt vague and indistinguishable.
Each Kaito gets introduced based on a unique skill, like Lokman the lockpicker or Tiger the lip reader. But their personalities aren’t explored beyond that. We learn little about who they are or what drives them. Anson seemed lively reading animal minds. But the others blend together without backstories or traits to differentiate them.
Some tried to stand out more than others. Jer, the disguise master, gets a fun scene undercover at a party. Tiger comes across as playful in fights, too. Meanwhile, the “agile” A.Lo ends up in an odd situation conflicting with his talent. But most just serve as interchangeable bodies performing skills.
Potential existed to craft compelling figures through their estrangement from each other too. However, the movie glosses over why they split up originally. So when they reunite for the mission, we don’t feel their relationships or tensions.
In the end, only a handful emerge as noticeable presences among the crowded cast. With richer development of their unique personalities and motivations, the talented Kaito team could have really shone for audiences instead of blending indistinctly together.
Staging Spectacle Over Substance
This movie gets points for ambitious action. As members of the secret Kaito crime unit, the stars get to put their skills to good use. Some sequences really let their talents shine, whether in martial arts or daring stuntwork. You can tell efforts went into crafting explosive fight choreography.
Yet for all the flashes of physical prowess on display, it doesn’t amount to much. The fights serve more as filler between thin plot points. They entertain in the moment but fail to drive the story forward meaningfully.
Comedy gets a few chuckles through zany gags or a scene like Anson’s canine mind-reading. But many of the attempts at humor fall flat or feel forced. It’s a missed chance with so much room for laughter in the silly premise.
Oddly, for a film starring a popular singing group, there’s no musical performance to be found. Considering their real lives revolve around catchy songs and dance routines, it’s a real head-scratcher. Some fans may be disappointed to hear no tunes from their idols.
While production values aim high on visual spectacle, We 12 lacks substance where it counts. With richer writing and heart, this movie could have turned its concert-worthy talents to much better effect on screen.
We 12: Style over Substance
This movie has some things going for it, that’s for sure. The costumes worn by the Kaito crew are really something to see. You can tell a lot of thought went into reflecting each character’s unique abilities through their fashion choices. It’s kind of fun to pick them out.
I also have to give them credit for snagging some fun cameo appearances. The Collar Girls and Error Boys popping up was a nice surprise. It’s always cool to see other acts from the Cantopop scene make an appearance.
But man, does We 12 ever drop the ball when it comes to the stuff that really matters? The plot is paper thin; I’m still not entirely sure what the big threat was even about. And the way the storyline jumps around left me scratching my head more than once.
It’s disappointing because the potential was surely there with 12 big stars. But none of them are given a chance to truly shine through well-developed characters. Everything feels so shallow and half-baked.
And don’t even get me started on the total lack of any romance or meaningful female roles. Like, c’mon, even the silliest action romps make time for a love interest. But the one girl who shows up barely qualifies as a character.
In the end, We 12 is all style over substance. It prioritizes flashy costumes and sets over storytelling basics. It was such a waste not to tap more into the talents and appeal of the boy band leading the show. They deserved way better material to work with.
Taking a Cue from the Classics
This boy band heist flick really could’ve learned a thing or two from the kings of the genre. Films like Ocean’s Eleven are absolute masters at crafting memorable ensembles out of huge star casts. Steven Soderbergh and company make it look so easy.
Those movies understand something We 12 seems to miss: characters need to be more than gimmicks. Each member of Danny Ocean’s crew feels fully realized from the get-go. You instantly grasp what makes them tick. But here, most of the Kaito guys blend together because the film fails to define them.
What’s worse is how Soderbergh gives the whole team a chance to leave an impression. We 12 spreads its character moments too thin by trying to feature everyone equally. The classics know how to focus the narrative through a core group to really hook you in.
Even the heist planning in those films entertains as much as the action. You wish the legendary strategies and set pieces could’ve inspired some of We 12’s soggy scenes. A little of that magic formula may have saved this from being such a lukewarm experience.
Overall, it’s just proof that wielding an A-list cast means nothing without the writing to match. The genre’s leading lights perfectly mesh captivating performers with captivating storytelling. We 12 would have benefited from taking notes on how the masters pull it off.
Wrapping Up We 12
You can’t help but feel that We 12 had the potential for something way more fun. I mean, come on, 12 huge K-pop stars together in a heist caper? Count me intrigued just by that logline alone. And there were definitely some good moments peppered throughout that gave a taste of what could’ve been.
But ultimately, it never properly delivers on its high-flying premise. The thin plot left me wanting more substance, and I couldn’t help wishing they’d developed the characters further to really get invested. As enjoyable as the action sequences and costumes were at times, they couldn’t compensate for the other issues holding the movie back.
So in the end, I’d say only die-hard Mirror fans will get the full enjoyment out of this one. Casual viewers may find themselves underwhelmed. It’s a real shame too, because there’s no doubt this talented group deserved a better-starring vehicle.
Maybe in a potential sequel they could learn from the missteps? A tighter script focusing on stronger narratives for each guy, amping up the humor, and, dare I say, even including some spectacular musical numbers could work wonders. Taking the fun up a notch while fixing the flaws really might just deliver that knockout heist flick I know is in there somewhere. Fingers crossed, they give it another go!
The Review
We 12
We 12 showed flashes of promise but ultimately failed to live up to its high-flying premise due to weak storytelling and underdeveloped characters. While not without its entertaining moments, this fan service film never coheres into the satisfying caper it aspires to be. Missed opportunity for Mirror's big-screen debut.
PROS
- Engaging costumes and production design
- Entertaining action sequences and stunt work
- Opportunity to see 12 Mirror members share the screen
CONS
- Thin and disjointed plot
- One-dimensional, underdeveloped characters
- Lack of suspense or compelling narrative
