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Fun Press, Melbourne December 16, 1998 WACO: THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary this film has been firmly embraced by mainstream media and critics, premiering at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and opening the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival in New York. It is a disturbing and hard-hitting expose of the 1993 Waco Texas siege between the FBI and Branch Davidians which led to the deaths of four federal agent and 76 cult members in the fire that ended the 51 day siege. The Rules Of Engagement present the unambiguous point of view that the authorities were largely to blame, or they at least could have done more to bring the confrontation to a peaceful conclusion. The early part of the film portrays the Davidians as a peaceful religious community who are the subject of fear and rumour. The action begins when the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco And Firearms launch an attack on the Davidians in an attempt to seize illegal weapons. The AFT appears as a gung-ho militia who will go to any lengths to 'persecute' the sect. Four of them are killed in the ensuing gun battle and the FBI takes over. It is the actions of the FBI that occupy that latter half of this 136 minute film. We see live footage, the opinions of many experts, and a lot of heavily edited testimony from subcommittee hearings. Which ever side of the fence you sit this film will provoke some strong feelings of shock, disbelief and horror. More than provide any conclusive answers though (this film makes it clear that the truth will never officially be fully known), The Rules Of Engagement calls into question many hitherto accepted facts and gives them a very credible going over, and for that it is an important and necessary film. Anyone concerned with social history civil liberties and questionable action by apparently untouchable governments should see this film. |
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