The Six Triple Eight Review 2024

The secret tale of the all-Black “The Six Triple Eight” Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II is amplified in Tyler Perry’s war film, “The Six Triple Eight.” Even while the movie attempts to pay tribute to these trailblazing women, it fails miserably, which makes its narrative flaws all the more depressing considering the historical significance it tries to convey.

“The Six Triple Eight” falls short of its potential even though its heart is in the right place. Because Perry jumps around between times and plots, his writing is disjointed and leads to narrative whiplash. There is a tremendous fighting sequence in the opening scene in 1943 Italy, but the abrupt cuts to 1942 Pennsylvania and 1944 Georgia throw off the flow. These sudden changes weaken the story’s power and impede its emotional flow.

Lena Derriecott King (Ebony Obsidian) and Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington) are key characters in the story. King’s emotional journey centers on her battle to establish herself as a soldier and her sorrow over a lost love. Adams, meantime, exemplifies tenacity by resolutely confronting institutional prejudice and discrimination. Perry’s script overuses melodramatic monologues, which makes their interactions more theatrical than real, even though their personalities should be complementary to one another.

Perry frequently expresses emotions in his discourse rather than letting them develop organically. For example, Adams makes powerful speeches but isn’t given enough quiet, introspective moments to make her more relatable. King’s romance also comes out as stiff and too formal, as if it were taken from a drama set in the Victorian era rather than representing the realities of the 1940s.

The movie also has visual issues. Artificial smoke and fire detract from the excitement, and the special effects seem unreal, especially in the fight sequences. The roughness and authenticity required to anchor the drama in its historical setting are frequently absent from sets and costumes, which feel unduly polished.

When the unit is sent to France to address a huge backlog of undeliverable mail, the story takes off. The women encounter persistent bigotry and administrative obstacles after being inspired to take action by Eleanor Roosevelt (Susan Sarandon). However, the emotional impact of even these passages is diminished by their over-reliance on ostentatious statements.

The way the film depicts the women’s togetherness is where it really shines. Their resiliency and friendship are demonstrated through moments of dancing, laughter, and emotional support, which offer hints of the stirring tale hidden beneath the melodrama. Despite straying into cliché, Shanice Shantay’s portrayal of Johnnie Mae gives the group heart and humor.

“The Six Triple Eight” illuminates a widely overlooked period of history in spite of its shortcomings. Perry’s attempt to pay tribute to these trailblazing women is admirable, despite the fact that his strategy falls short. In the end, the movie makes viewers wish that it had trusted a Black woman director to tell this compelling story, as she would have been better able to convey its complexity and subtleties.

Netflix is currently streaming.