Movie Review: The Six Triple Eight

by Ayelen Flores, age 15

It is not often that a war movie tells the stories of the unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes who make our military function. “The Six Triple Eight” does exactly that. “The Six Triple Eight” is a new movie about hidden struggles during WWII. It premiered on December 20th, 2024. It is based on true events and is available for streaming on Netflix.

Getting mail to soldiers abroad was one of the challenges the U.S. Army faced during WWII. The mail motivated soldiers by giving them a connection to the country they were fighting for. Charity Adams was a U.S. Army officer in Europe who eventually served as the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, “Six Triple Eight.” The battalion was charged with a big load of roughly 17 million pieces of mail coming from soldiers and their families. It had six months to sort, organize, and deliver the mail. Surprisingly, it took only three months to get the mail to its designated place. The movie shows what it was like being a woman, specifically a Black woman, in the military during that time, as well as the struggles of one woman in the battalion whose partner died in the war.

“The Six Triple Eight” is an important historical record recognizing the story of many women from the unit. Director Tyler Perry was initially inspired by his friendship with Lena Derriecott King, who was a former battalion member. Before Lena died at the age of 100 in January 2024, Perry told her he had an idea for a movie telling her story. King told Perry about her life and everything that she remembered from being a member of the battalion. Perry wrote a script inspired by her experiences and showed King an incomplete version of the film. He sat at her bedside and talked her through it. Ebony Obsidian, who played Lena in the movie, was also able to talk to King and learn more about her story. Obsidian was honored to show everyone King’s story, sharing that King taught her "that no matter what you go through, you can still rise.” Unfortunately, King died before seeing the movie, but she had a lot of faith in Perry’s unfinished script. She was grateful to let others know about such a life-changing and personal event.

Tyler Perry, Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, Keri Selig, and Carlota Espinosa all wrote and directed “The Six Triple Eight.” The movie was filmed in Atlanta and Tennessee, as well as some scenes in the United Kingdom. Perry felt it was necessary to film the movie where the true events took place. The cast includes star actors like Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jeffery, and others.

The movie has done a great job portraying the hardships that the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion faced, as well as the challenges of women during this period. It was emotional and well-acted. It has opened my eyes and taught me how times were rough during the war. The movie is a great choice for people who are interested in history and are open to learning more. Being able to see what other problems can come up for the people in a war-torn country was powerful to me. The last moments of the movie have to be one of my favorites because they were acted out so beautifully and you could feel the emotions through the screen. It almost felt like I was there standing with the battalion. This movie is powerful and sheds light on an important part of American history, make sure to check it out if you ever get the chance!

[Source: Netflix]