The 6888th battalion might very well “represent the best of America,” but filmmaker Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight is still disappointing the critics. And, unfortunately, the results perpetuate Perry’s poor scoring on Rotten Tomatoes, as the historical war drama currently registers only 49% on the Tomatometer against 35 reviews.
However, it’s not unusual for Perry’s movies to be glossed over. In fact, many of Perry’s most popular titles, including Madea Goes to Jail (29%), Madea’s Family Reunion (26%), and Meet the Browns (33%) all landed terrible reviews (per RT), even though the fans adored them. So, it’s not that much of a surprise to see his newest Netflix flick being panned. 2024 has been particularly harsh for the filmmaker, with Mea Culpa registering only 18% on the Tomatometer, and then there is Divorce in the Black’s unprecedented 0% RT score —zero! Even with its poor score, though, Perry has only directed three films that have surpassed The Six Triple Eight on the Tomatometer (A Jazzman’s Blues, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, and Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys).
Despite the poor response, The Six Triple Eight was not only a passion project for Perry, but particularly for producer Nicole Avant. Avant, who immediately thought of Perry to helm the historical war drama, was devoted to making the film a reality, and she was understandably moved when her mother’s name appeared in the credits. Avant said in an interview (per Tudum):
“I saw my mom’s name [at the end], and it was so emotional for me. My mom really loved history and would be so proud that this story was finally being told. My parents would’ve loved The Six Triple Eight because they [were] big believers in passing the baton, and they always believed that you can’t teach people about passing the baton if they don’t understand the baton itself, and they don’t understand the history that’s behind the baton that they’re passing on.”
“The 6888th Battalion Represent the Best of America”
Don’t be fooled because, unlike the critics, the majority of fans are actually enjoying The Six Triple Eight. And it’s a historical drama enthusiasts of Hidden Figures will surely enjoy, too. At the time of this writing, Tyler Perry’s latest movie registers 79% on the Popcornmeter, formerly the Rotten Tomatoes audience score, against 100+ verified ratings. And Nicole Avant declares that the women of the 6888th Battalion “represent the best of America” in the same interview. The producer says:
“They represent strength. They represent courage. They represent bravery. But they also represent humanity. They represent the energy in all of us that wants to quit, but never does. They understood that they may not ever receive any accolades for the fruits of their labor, but they didn’t do it for themselves.
They did it for the greater good. And that is why I have such respect for this battalion and these women, and I’m so excited to tell the story […] I first heard about the 6888th Battalion when I was a young girl. My mom told me about Major Charity Adams [portrayed by Kerry Washington], but I didn’t know the full story.”
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The Six Triple Eight is now available to stream on Netflix. Kerry Washington leads a stacked cast, including appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, and Sam Waterson, along with stars Ebony Obsidian and Milauna Jackson. However, for those who are still on the fence, be sure to check out MovieWeb’s The Six Triple Eight review (4/5 stars), which declares that “Tyler Perry crafts a stirring World War II epic.”
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The Six Triple Eight
The Six Triple Eight is inspired by the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Despite facing racism and sexism – and grueling working conditions – they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
- Release Date
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December 6, 2024
- Runtime
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72 minutes