Overlooked Netflix war film hailed as 'natural crowd pleaser' telling 'ignored' story

Daily Record

23-06-2025

Kerry Washington stars in The Six Triple Eight, which is a historical war drama that tells the remarkable true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
A 2024 historical war drama, directed by Tyler Perry and based on a true story, is being praised for shedding light on an important part of history and its overlooked heroes.
The Six Triple Eight, with Kerry Washington in the compelling lead role as Major Charity Adams, tells the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion - an all-Black, all-female battalion formed during World War II. The film draws inspiration from Kevin M Hymel's article Fighting a Two-Front War, published in the February 2019 issue of WWII History magazine.
‌
This war drama recounts the extraordinary true tale of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black and all-female unit deployed overseas during World War II. Their daunting task was to sort through millions of undelivered letters and packages intended for American soldiers serving in the war, reports the Express.
‌
In the face of sexism, racism, and harsh wartime conditions in the 1940s, these women, under the leadership of Major Charity Adams, boosted morale on the front lines and demonstrated exceptional determination and excellence amidst unimaginable adversity - leaving a lasting legacy.
With a disappointing 55 per cent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, The Six Triple Eight was almost universally criticised by reviewers, many of whom focused more on Tyler Perry's directorial shortcomings than the actual narrative and performances. One critic praised Kerry Washington's performance in Tyler Perry's latest war drama, saying: "Kerry Washington's scene-stealing performance boosts Tyler Perry's cumbersome but inspiring war drama."
However, another was less impressed with Perry's direction, noting: "[Perry] can manage these soapy romantic beats, but charging the overall story with even the slightest hint of dramatic tension is beyond him." A different review highlighted both positives and negatives: "It's full of heart and has a story worth exposing to more people. And yet, Perry's shortcomings as a filmmaker hold this film back from being stronger."
The Six Triple Eight, which is available on Netflix, features the song The Journey, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song at the 97th Academy Awards. Some reviews were favourable towards the war drama, with one stating: "Easily delivering on the big emotional beats, The Six Triple Eight is a natural crowd pleaser."
‌
Another reviewer described the film as a touching tribute: "The Six Triple Eight is a Frank Capra-esque feel-good story about heroes who are no longer forgotten."
Audience reactions to The Six Triple Eight have been largely positive, with one viewer commenting: "This is a really good period piece to watch, showing not only a piece of history that often is looked over, but also giving it to us in an entertaining way. The acting was good, story overall was good. Just good, good, good."
One enthusiast of the historical drama shared: "I'm a history buff and this is a story that definitely deserves to be told and it's lovely when the movie does the story justice. Great acting and script writing. Highly recommend."
‌
The film boasts an impressive cast, with Denzel Washington leading alongside Ebony Obsidian, Susan Sarandon, Oprah Winfrey, Shanice Shantay, Milauna Jackson, Sarah Jeffery, Dean Norris, Pepi Sonuga, Sam Waterston, Moriah Brown, Gregg Sulkin, and Kylie Jefferson.
A viewer heaped accolades on the film, saying: "The Six Triple Eight...was an outstanding film, telling the story of amazing women! The story deserves more credit and more people to watch and learn the history of what these women did!".
Meanwhile, another succinctly expressed their enjoyment: "I loved this movie from start to finish!".