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Meet 12 O'Clock Boys, Baltimore's Baddest Dirtbike Crew

Like 'The Wire,' but real. And with dirtbikes.

The promotional materials for the documentary 12 O'Clock Boys call it "the most thrilling trip into Baltimore since The Wire." But as someone who stalled out on the second season where they spent forever on the docks, this reviewer thinks the documentary was far more compelling.

First of all, this story of the renegade urban dirtbike crew is full of unbelievable footage of them doing wheelies at high speeds as they evade the cops. But what's most mind-blowing is the fact that this is real life and, as you learn in the film, the stakes are literally life or death.

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The film is full of news footage showing the public safety threat that the 12 O'Clock Boys bring to the streets of Baltimore through their reckless antics, a circumstance that's only compounded by the fact that the cops can't legally chase the bikers because it makes things even more dangerous. However, from the safely of a darkly lit screening room in Williamsburg, it's impossible not to be drawn into the skill and artfulness that goes into the tricks that these bikers are able to pull off—and the slow-motion shots and hip-hop soundtrack only make these feats of human performance seem more epic and unbelievable.

However, this isn't just another X Games-esque extreme sports exhibition. Instead, the director Lofty Nathan manages to humanize the story by spending years following Pup, a young child who lives in the crime-ridden Westside neighborhood with his mother, siblings, and a small pet store worth of animals. More specifically, the film follows the ups and down of the younger's life (which includes the death of a family member) as he works toward his dream of some day becoming a 12 O' Clock Boy despite his mother's well-reasoned objections. Watching the film it's impossible not too root for him no matter how large the odds stacked up against him may seem.

Additionally, the film shows the history of this notorious crew from the bootleg VHS tape which put them on the map to their current incarnation and features interviews with many of the original members who helped pave the way for today's generation of outlaws. While the act of riding on sidewalks and putting lives in danger isn't glamorized, the film does showcase how riding dirtbikes can be a positive outlet for younger kids growing up in some of Baltimore's worst neighborhoods and also captures how learning about riding and repairing bikes can be a positive addition to the alternative to a life of crime despite the inherent risks.

"You get on that bike, you feel powerful, like all those problems going on in your life is gone," Pup says at one point—and that escapism is what makes many of the people whose lives are documented here risk their lives for a rush. It's not merely an adrenaline rush, it's about yanking up on the handlebars and not having to feel like a second-class citizen in America. It's illegal and insane on paper but in other ways, it's Baltimore's way of standing up and letting America know that they're still here and they're not going away. This duality isn't an easy to articulate but this film captures it perfectly through interviews with everyone from brazen bikers to the cops that pursue them on foot, car, and helicopter.

You can't stop 12 O'Clock Boys, but everyone can learn something about them—and giving them a voice will hopefully open a dialogue that saves as many lives as it inspires. If you've got a better alternative, we'd love to hear it. Until then we'll be spreading the gospel of this documentary to anyone who will listen.