Quick Links The Heroism of Black Women Within 'The Six Triple Eight' Fans of 'Hidden Figures' Will Find Something to Love 'Hidden Figures' Has Paved the Way for 'The Six Triple Eight' Success
Netflix's newly acquired historical drama, The Six Triple Eight, is gaining attention with its debut on the streaming platform for its inspirational re-telling of the events surrounding the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-female group that operated during WWII. The film, written and directed by Tyler Perry, contains many Hollywood stars, including Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey. Although reviews are still coming in for the film, which was released in select cinemas on December 6, 2024, audiences of the war story genre are likely to find something to delight in.
Due to the film's focus on the power and impact of the Black women who served the United States of America during times of war and trouble, many have compared the recent film to the massively successful Hidden Figures, directed by Theodore Melfi. Hidden Figures was released on January 6, 2017, and stars Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monáe. The film focuses on the heroic true story of three Black mathematicians, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who served NASA during the infamous Space Race. Both The Six Triple Eight and Hidden Figures have received praise and attention for telling the stories of minority groups and highlighting the massive impact of their contributions to the United States of America.
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4 /5 The Six Triple Eight PG-13 DramaHistoryWar
Release Date December 6, 2024 Director Tyler Perry Runtime 72 minutes Cast Susan Sarandon , Kerry Washington , Dean Norris , Sam Waterston , Austin Nichols , Sarah Jeffrey , Gregg Sulkin , Oprah Winfrey Main Genre Drama
The Heroism of Black Women Within 'The Six Triple Eight' Close
The Six Triple Eight draws its source material from a 2019 WWII History magazine article by Kevin M. Hymel titled "Fighting a Two-Front War." The article delves into some of the details surrounding the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, which the Tyler Perry film continues to expand upon. The film features the untold stories of many historical figures who either served in or had an impact on the battalion. This list of real-life figures includes Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington), Lena Derriecott King (Ebony Obsidian), Mary McLeod Bethune (Oprah Winfrey), and many more.
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African-American women were critical to NASA's success and Hidden Figures is their long overdue story.
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The film's plot focuses on the heroism of the 885 women within the battalion who were tasked with the immense responsibility of sorting through a three-year backlog of mail to be sent to American soldiers serving the country overseas. These incredible women managed to quickly sort through around 17 million pieces of mail while battling discrimination, misogyny, and uncertainty within their conflict-filled, war-torn country. Together, these women worked to bring hope and comfort to the soldiers on the front lines. The Six Triple Eight seeks to catapult their amazing stories and actions into a well-deserved light.
Fans of 'Hidden Figures' Will Find Something to Love Close
The story behind The Six Triple Eight, and its similarity to the popular Hidden Figures film, has the opportunity to bring some benefit to the new release. A portion of the large audience gained by the 93%-scoring Hidden Figures could carry over to The Six Triple Eight once the film releases on Netflix. Both films center around the extraordinary abilities and quiet heroism of Black women during times of national conflict. The themes of overcoming complex challenges, fighting against oppression, and banning together to aid in the fight for the greater good exist across both of the truth-based storylines.
Both films also find their power in their star-studded female cast and their choice to focus on the narrative away from the front lines. Many films within the war genre tend to follow male soldiers who are engaged directly in the fighting while overlooking the incredible efforts of the other groups operating away from the front lines. Both Hidden Figures and The Six Triple Eight tell these previously untold stories and will likely attract similar audiences who enjoy the historical drama genre but may not wish to see the violence found within a standard war film.
'Hidden Figures' Has Paved the Way for 'The Six Triple Eight' Success Close
Hidden Figures, which garnered significant praise from critics and amassed a large audience appeal, has proven the high probability of success for films within this niche of the historical drama genre. The question remains whether The Six Triple Eight will be able to stick the landing. Early critic reviews don't seem to provide a clear answer. The current Rotten Tomatoes score for the film sits at a humble 64%. However, only a few critics have weighed in, and no audience reviews are available yet. More reviews can be expected to come in after the film's Netflix streaming release.
Related Highlighting Actual Representation: Why Hidden Figures Remains an Inspirational Film
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In the meantime, The Six Triple Eight has already received multiple accolades, including a Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Song ("The Journey" by Diane Warren, performed by H.E.R) and a Celebration of Cinema and Television Icon Award for Tyler Perry. The film will also be honored at the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards Ceremony on February 19, 2025. Despite the current uncertainty of critic reviews, it is clear that the film is still making an impact within the entertainment world. The Six Triple Eight is streaming on Netflix. Hidden Figures is available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.