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During times of war, there are so many important jobs that need to be handled to keep the war effort running smoothly—more than most people realize. And Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight tells the story of a battalion of women who took on one of those generally unseen but all-important tasks.
The Six Triple Eight follows the story of an all-Black battalion from the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. After enlisting, the women are sent to train in Georgia—but as battalions of white women are sent to Europe to join the war effort, they’re forced to stay behind, battling racism and discrimination at every step along the way. But as the war continues and the military finds itself with a backlog of unsent mail, the women are sent overseas to tackle a monumental mission on a short timeline.
Tasked with sending out millions of pieces of mail—some illegible or untraceable or just years old—while also forced to live and work in an old building that barely even has heat, these smart, capable, determined young women handle their seemingly impossible situation without complaint. They work together to make their surroundings comfortable and solve the mysteries of the warehouses full of mail that have gone undelivered to the lonely troops and their anxious families back home.
The battalion’s story is certainly fascinating—and inspiring—but the film often feels like it just runs out of things to say. After all of the challenges have been established and all of the people who not-so-secretly want the women to fail have been introduced, there’s not a whole lot left to tell. Viewers get to know a few of these strong and likable characters—especially commanding officer Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington), who never stops fighting for her women, and Lena Derriecott (Ebony Obsidian), who enlisted after the man she loved was killed in battle. But few of them really stand out. And though the film definitely has an extraordinary story to tell about a crucial part of the war effort that most people wouldn’t even consider, much of the story falls rather flat.
The Six Triple Eight tells a remarkable story of some amazing young women and their all-important contributions toward the end of the war. There are certainly moving and inspiring moments along the way—and a few likable characters—but it get often gets caught up in the melodrama and loses sight of the strength and power of these women and their story.
You can report for duty with this remarkable women when The Six Triple Eight arrives on Netflix on December 20, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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