The Six Triple Eight

The members of The Six Triple Eight went above and beyond in a thankless job for which they deserve to be thanked. After all, they essentially were part of two simultaneous wars — with the Nazis often feeling like the lesser of the two enemies.

This earnest and formulaic World War II melodrama from prolific director Tyler Perry is a well-intentioned salute to courageous women who had to break down racial and gender barriers while confronting prejudice and bigotry just for serving their country.

However, while the true-life subject matter is obviously inspirational, the film lacks subtlety and surprise, often resembling more of a cinematic history lecture than a compelling drama.

The primary storyline involves Lena (Ebony Obsidian), a young Black woman in Pennsylvania whose relatives are apprehensive about her dating a white man (Gregg Sulkin) who goes off to fight in Europe, but not before the couple solidifies their marriage plans. “When I return from the war, that will be my first mission,” he tells her.

However, Lena receives word that he’s been killed in battle, and her grief prompts her to enlist in the Army Corps. She winds up in Georgia, as part of the titular unit of Black women overseen by the quietly dignified yet fiercely determined Maj. Charity Adams (Kerry Washington).

They finally receive their orders near the end of the war — to provide a morale boost for troops overseas by sorting through a bottleneck of mail, with undelivered pieces numbering in the millions, both incoming and outgoing. It’s not nearly as simple, or as appreciated, as it sounds.

The narrative approach in Perry’s screenplay, adapted from an article by Kevin Hyman, is rather dry and straightforward, without much character depth or moral complexity. It’s mildly insightful but rarely digs beneath the surface.

The women are endearing enough although the performances among its young leads are uneven. The film fares better when focusing on Washington and her character, who delivers a powerful speech to rally the troops. A few esteemed cameos are shoehorned in, too.

The Six Triple Eight shines a deserving spotlight on this battalion and its vital function during the conflict. They shouldn’t be relegated to a footnote, and hopefully this project accomplishes that.

However, the heavy-handed film yanks too aggressively at the heartstrings rather than letting the remarkable story tell itself.

Rated PG-13, 127 minutes.