Movies: Waco - The Rules of Engagement

I actually didn't mind it when "Bowling For Columbine" received an Oscar. That's because, when viewed as an exercise in manipulating images and sound to further a political position, the movie was really quite an accomplishment. As for any relation to the facts...well, you can judge for yourself.

William Gazecki's "Waco: The Rules of Engagement," doesn't quite have the same zing as Moore's stuff, although it shares a similar philosophy of remorselessly presenting the case for a particular side. Here, Gazecki is out to destroy the government version of events, presenting the entire timeline of the siege of the Branch Davidian church and punctuating it with 911 calls, FBI negotiations, and dramatic video of the siege and its fiery conclusion. I think it's pretty much agreed nowadays that Waco was a foul-up of the highest order, so Gazecki doesn't have to work very hard.

What I find most fascinating about the whole thing is that after the tragedy, politicians started pointing fingers, using the situation to score points. Gazecki successfully captures a lot of grandstanding from faces that are still in the halls of power (including Vice President Biden, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum). It's a good illustration of what we pay these politicians to do.

Rating: 6/10