On December 20th, the war drama «The Six Triple Eight» premiered on Netflix, based on the article by Kevin M. Hymel «War on Two Fronts», published in 2019 in WWII History magazine. It’s centered around the events of World War II, specifically highlighting the contributions of the all-black women’s 6888th Central Postal Battalion. Below, our review dives into what viewers can expect.
Genre war drama
Director Tyler Perry
Starring Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston, Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shenice Chantay, Sara Jeffrey
Premiere Netflix
Release Year 2024
Website IMDb
While Europe is engulfed in the flames of World War II, in Pennsylvania, young African-American Lena Derricott King falls in love with a white boy, Abram David. However, they can’t savor their overwhelming feelings, as the young man heads to the front as a bomber pilot. Soon after, news arrives that he was killed, prompting Lena to enlist in the U.S. Army, seeing no other future for herself (clearly, she couldn’t afford university).
Later, the girl joins the unit of Captain, later Major, Charity Adams, the first African-American female officer of the Women’s Army Corps. After military training at a camp in Georgia, King and 854 other black women join the 6888th Central Postal Battalion under Adams’ command, tasked with sorting and delivering mail to and from soldiers.
To tackle what seemed like an impossible task of processing about 17 million letters, the battalion was given six months, but by working around the clock and developing their own mail distribution system, they accomplished it in half the time.
«The Six Triple Eight» kicks off like a hardcore war action in the vein of «Saving Private Ryan» (1998). However, the bloody loud battles last only seconds and quickly fizzle out. This war drama belongs to the category of inspired cinema that celebrates the heroism and resilience of the oppressed, so don’t expect epic action scenes.
While watching, it immediately reminds you of the biographical drama «Hidden Figures» (2016), which told the story of three real-life black female mathematicians working at NASA during the space race with the Soviet Union. Although that film was written and directed more skillfully, rightfully earning three «Oscar» nominations, including Best Picture.
Here, director and screenwriter Tyler Perry paints the societal landscape with broad strokes, making his dramaturgy appear rather coarse. This is manifested by the fact that the world on screen is almost entirely divided, no pun intended, into black and white, and the overarching theme feels somewhat forced. The outcome of the plot is as predictable as ever — those who initially treat Charity Adams and her subordinates with overt disdain, inevitably show respect to the women’s battalion in the end.
The film is capable of evoking emotion, of leaving no one indifferent, which is sometimes just as important as some outstanding artistic decisions. Although after watching, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the empathy for the characters is achieved through the simplest of manipulations, but if it works, then why not.
Standard methods are used to achieve these goals. Constant hardships faced by characters forced to battle extremely unjust circumstances marked by racism and sexism — check. Emotionally charged scenes, like reading the most important letter in the main character’s life or applause for Charity Adams — definitely there. Eventually, the final documentary shots and meeting with the real participants of those events who have lived to our times — check and mate. All of this leaves a pleasant impression and generally mitigates the unimaginative creative approach.
«The Six Triple Eight» is interesting from an educational standpoint — it’s a story not known to many average viewers, especially non-Americans, but it deserves to be told and known by as many people as possible.
However, cameos by already recognized masters — Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon as President Franklin Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt respectively — are notable. In one scene, Oprah Winfrey appears, playing American civil rights activist and black community leader Mary McLeod Bethune.
«The Six Triple Eight» is clearly not the best film among those aiming to inspire and tell another uplifting story about the power of spirit. However, the film is capable of stirring, moving, maybe even restoring faith in the idea that resilience and persistence will ultimately be rewarded. And that’s exactly what we need more of today.