The Six Triple Eight 2024 Movie Review
A visually stunning and emotionally resonant film, The Six Triple Eight is a powerful testament to the human spirit. Heavily based on a true story, it masterfully weaves together the grave and complex horrors of war with a poignant love story, showcasing the resilience of the human heart in the face of unimaginable adversity.
By invitation, I was able to represent Veterans in Media and Entertainment NY Chapter to see an advanced screening of The 6888. Without spoilers I will simply share that I do hope everyone gets the opportunity to listen to Nicole Avant speak about the convergence of ideas and actions that brought this film to life. I hope you get to hear Tyler Perry speak about meeting the real-life Pvt Derriecott King and how moved he was to hear her story from the beginning. I hope you hear from Kerri Washington, Ebony Obsidian, and the rest of the cast as they tell you what this film meant to them. Their care and attention is seen in every detail.
Supporting the force is what I have spent my entire military career doing and when I had the honor of supporting Soldiers in a theater of war, I was privileged enough to capture and document those who were handling those monumental tasks. I’ve witnessed Soldiers work tirelessly to ensure that their fellow service members on the field of battle had what they needed – bullets, food, fuel, their pay and much more – including mail.
The 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, led by then U. S. Army Maj. Charity Adams (played by Kerri Washington), masterfully performed a near-impossible mission only they could have done. They succeeded with skills cultivated by simply being who they were – women of color from around the USA and different walks of life, who wanted to serve their country for a variety of reasons.
This is demonstrated by performances that are raw and deeply affecting while the breathtaking cinematography captures the beauty and devastation of the environments in which these women worked and thrived despite adversity.
Even the disinformation that followed them home could not erase their personal courage, which is one of the seven Army values illustrating that Soldiers willingly face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral).
“Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable,” according to the Army.
This underscores the importance of the storytelling medium because those who feel like their voice isn’t being heard or that their story may never be told will always have a voice in a space that is true to the telling.
The Six Triple Eight is a must-see for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling and the enduring power of love. There were many moments in the film where the hairs on my arm stood up and I could feel the energy as if I was there with them during WWII. I know with certainty that every viewer who shared these moments in the theater with me felt the same.
