source: In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco

Moviecut—In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco

Okay, first of all I get that this movie was made shortly after the Waco incident occurred and all the facts weren't known. It even has that disclaimer in the opening scene. Up until the raid scene I would say this was a decent movie, entertaining and mostly true to the facts. I say mostly because even the investigation didn't play out they way they portrayed it but I understand that for the sake of telling the story. The Raid though was incredibly incorrect. This movie shows ATF agents coming and the Branch Davidians firing immediately upon them. It's still somewhat disputed who shot first but the most widely accepted theory now is that the ATF dog team was the first to fire, they show the dogs which in turn triggered return fire from the Davidians. The cease fire that occurred didn't occur the way the movie portrayed either. It wasn't negotiated by telephone it was actually done through a reporter speaking to the sheriff on the phone. I am in no way saying that Koresh was not to blame at all but in reality the ATF were the ones who initiated the "ambush" and are mostly to blame with how this played out. If you want to watch this movie for a historical account of events then skip it because it is inaccurate. Read One of the books written by the survivors or the FBI negotiator to get a more factual account. Or better yet watch the mini series Waco (which is also somewhat one sided in the other direction but is more factual than this one)

Well acted. Tim was chilling. Very enjoyable! Riveting

Any time a film is made to represent a true event...whether it's ancient history, historical epic, or more modern it must be taken with a grain of salt because certainly in some way or another it may be biased or not entirely built around the facts. That seems to be one of the big complaints about Ambush in Waco. When I watch a film I look for it to be well made, well acted, and entertaining and if it really blows me away or teaches me something then I usually slap a huge rating on it. I can't slap a huge rating on Ambush in Waco but I can say for what it was worth and for the first film I've ever seen covering the disastrous situation which I can remember being plastered all over the news many years ago...it was good and well made especially for a TV Film because sometimes TV can pretty effectively kill what could have been a great film. I don't imagine the budget was very high and yet they recreated the compound very well and still dealt with a very interesting and disturbing angle of the story. Many also vote that this film was made by and for the ATF to protect them should something go wrong at Waco (which it did), this film went into production before the event was even over. That all may be true so you can look at it as propaganda, but it's still an interesting well made film. It seems a general consensus that Tim Daly does a great job and I agree. I've always liked Daly and he really does a rather disturbing and moving performance as David Koresh. The guy is maniacal and yet he has this quality about him that makes it believable that he could be followed despite his wild ideas and insane personality and that really is what Koresh and cult leaders are all about. Daly is a powerhouse. The dividian members are all very important to the story although none of them really stand out in their performances. In fact most of them come across as almost zombie like which I think is taking the idea a little too far. They just didn't feel real enough but still they did alright including William O'Leary, Neal McDonough, Gordon Clapp, and Marley Shelton in some of the more significant character roles. I thought Shelton though did a poor job and came across as vapid and robot like in her performance. Dan Lauria, a long time character actor, who I always associate as the emotionally empty Dad from The Wonder Years is pretty good as the head of ATF Unit that first attacks the Waco compound. He is certainly painted as the good guy and has a decent TV movie leading man personality. Really I think Daly's performance makes this film but the story is decent too. Even if it was made for the perspective of making the ATF look better...it is one side to the story and it's done decently. The film moves at a good pace and does a good job of establishing the main character of Koresh before he was even Koresh and the gradual moving towards the battle with ATF. Director Dick Lowry is the king of TV movies which I think is a good thing. Certainly TV movies are not the same as big screen films or even straight to DVD because they tend to be cheaper and thrown together but Lowry has done a lot of them and I think he tells a good story and does a good job of putting together the important pieces. While I certainly don't think the film told a balanced position I think it's interesting and entertaining and a piece of history. 7/10

The first review here was obviously wrote by someone who thinks that when Hollywood makes something they call a true story it must be all true. Watch the movie Ashes of Waco for actual facts on this issue. Granted Koresh claimed to be something he was not, this does not mean that this was a well executed plan by the ATF. Fact, the ATF could have arrested Koresh in town since he went there often. What we do have here is a Cliton era Janet Reno failure as usual. Do the research because this movie may try to capture the day many brave ATF agents lost there lives but it also slants the story to make sure you think that this was 100% the people of Mt Carmnels fault.

Okay, I'm not a big fan of TV movies, but I thought that Timothy Daly's performance in this effort was magnetic and the script was above par. Watching as Koresh rants, raves and twists the bible's message to his captive audience really gives you an idea how he may have lead people to follow him to their doom. If there is a weakness with the film, it is that it portrays the various government agencies as well meaning but two-dimensional wholesome *. I find it laughable that other reviewers think this film is fascist - both sides are portrayed rather favorably with the exception of Koresh. If the film has any message, it is that if you're a member of a heavily armed and whacked out cult with a megalomaniac pedophile for a leader, it is no surprise to anybody if you bring "armageddon" down on yourself. The Branch Davidians discovered the hard way and frankly if they were stupid enough shoot back at the feds then they got what they deserved. I also found the film ends rather abruptly after the feds gathered their dead from the initial raid. Perhaps the production thought that was the best place to cut the movie and rush it out to TV as soon as possible. Even if that is their reasoning, the ending is disjointed and misses some of the drama that could have been captured from the ensuing siege.

Saying that In the Line of Duty: Ambush at Waco tells the facts about David Koresh and the Branch Davidian is like saying It Conquered the World tells the truth about NASA scientists: the Lee Van Cleef character brought an evil alien conqueror to earth, those NASA guys must be whacked out loonies. The screen writer, Phil Penningroth, has disowned this screenplay. He has pointed out that in the other "In the Line of Duty" series, the agencies were eager to tell their side of the story. The ATF stonewalled him and he had to rely on what proved to be falsified press releases from Washington. From my own research, follow this time-line: 1992 July 30 Koresh knows he is being investigated. Koresh tries to get the ATF to come out and inspect his guns and paperwork. ATF agent David Aguillera refuses to take the phone. 1992 August 21-31 The infamous Ruby Ridge Siege against the Weaver family in Idaho convinces Koresh the ATF plans to do the same to him and his group. ATF continues to build plans for a raid and Koresh becomes more paranoid. He and his lawyer go to the county sheriff and demonstrate that their guns are legal and they have followed all laws. The sheriff believes all ATF has to do was call Koresh and Koresh would have met them with his lawyer at the courthouse. 1992 Dec 4 - At the BATF Special Operations Division HQ BATF conferred with a military liaison officer about the availability of military assistance. The military officer informed the BATF that free military assistance would require a "drug connection" to the Waco investigation. 1992 Dec 11 - In Texas, BATF contacted the Texas National Guard (TexNG) for the use of helicopters. The TexNG responded that the BATF would have to show a war-on-drugs connection to get TexNG helicopters. 1992 Dec 16 - The BATF tells the TexNG that a disgruntled exDavidian told them there was a methamphetamine lab at Mt. Carmel. TexNG supplies three helicopters for use in the raid. Later BATF named Marc Breault as the source of their drug information on Koresh. Breault had left the group in Sept 1989. Breault stated in 1993: "There were no drugs of any kind used during my time in the group.... Never at any time did I accuse Vernon (Koresh) of drug dealing or usage." In Nov 1992 Breault had told the BATF a meth lab had been run by 3rd party tenants in 1987 under previous prophet George Roden. Koresh had evicted them and demolished the cabin in 1988. Not only was the raid on the Davidian's Mt. Carmel Center justified by a non-existent meth lab, the ATF raid plan was based on daily routine reported by members who had left in 1989 while Mt. Carmel Center was being re-constructed. The ATF plan was based on the idea the men would be outside working on new construction, the children would be in school, other men and women would be in town at their jobs, and the guns would be locked up in the main building. On 28 Feb 1993 all the men, women and children were in the main building for Sunday School (with the guns nearby). Koresh may have been a whacked-out loony, but if you did not agree with him, you could pack your bags and catch the bus at the county road and leave his jurisdiction and a lot of members did just that with no bad consequences. What scares me are the reviewers that seem delighted that the ATF attacked the Branch Davidians over their unpopular beliefs and lifestyle. ATF could have enforced the gun laws by accepting his phone offer to just look at the guns and paperwork on 30 July 1992. ATF has no legal jurisdiction to execute people over their religion or lifestyle. "In the Line of Duty: Ambush at Waco" is a blemish on the record of the "In the Line of Duty" series: most other entries in the series are much more factual. ATF had too much to hide from the screenwriter.

This is a very well-made and fascinating account of a very bad thing that happened in our great country. It gives a fair accounting to both sides. The moral I learned from this story is that, at present, our society is unprepared to deal with a situation like Waco.

What a relief it was to view this movie. All I've seen and heard was about those poor branch dividians and how the arrogant, nasty government forces went in and burned everyone. Hogwash! This was a complete nut with a bunch of freaks stockpiling ammo and guns while having sex with underage girls. This was a realistic look at a bunch people whom should have been dealt with earlier. Great acting by Tim Daly, what a reach from WINGS, and Neal Mcdonough as the gun toting but emotionally neglected Jason.