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Waco: The Rules of Engagement

  • 19971997
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 16min
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
Using interviews, news footage, testimony before Congress, and infrared photographic analysis, ‘Waco: The Rules of Engagement’ chips away at the government's story that David Koresh and his followers were a dangerous cult involved in strange sex and drug practices who were preparing to slaughter their neighbors and that they immolated themselves a la Jonestown, rather than give themselves up peacefully. Nearly every element of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' and the FBI's cover-up is exposed as fraudulent and the viewer is left wondering when, if ever, justice will finally be served.
Play trailer6:36
2 Videos
13 Photos
DocumentaryHistory

A reassessment of the tragedy at Waco that left 76 members of the Branch Davidian religious sect dead.A reassessment of the tragedy at Waco that left 76 members of the Branch Davidian religious sect dead.A reassessment of the tragedy at Waco that left 76 members of the Branch Davidian religious sect dead.

IMDb RATING
7.9/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Gazecki
  • Writers
    • William Gazecki
    • Dan Gifford
    • Michael McNulty
  • Stars
    • Dan Gifford(voice)
    • Clive Doyle
    • Jack Harwell
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Gazecki
  • Writers
    • William Gazecki
    • Dan Gifford
    • Michael McNulty
  • Stars
    • Dan Gifford(voice)
    • Clive Doyle
    • Jack Harwell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 39User reviews
    • 19Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos2

    WACO: The Rules of Engagement
    Trailer 6:36
    WACO: The Rules of Engagement
    WACO: The Rules of Engagement
    Interview 4:47
    WACO: The Rules of Engagement

    Photos13

    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
    Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dan Gifford
    Dan Gifford
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Clive Doyle
    • Self - Branch Davidianas Self - Branch Davidian
    Jack Harwell
    • Self - Sheriffas Self - Sheriff
    Joseph Penno
    • Self - Former Chief, Houston Fire Departmentas Self - Former Chief, Houston Fire Department
    Dick J. Reavis
    Dick J. Reavis
    • Self - Authoras Self - Author
    James D. Tabor
    James D. Tabor
    • Self - Biblical Scholaras Self - Biblical Scholar
    David Thibodeau
    • Self - Branch Davidianas Self - Branch Davidian
    Joe Biden
    Joe Biden
    • Self - U.S. Senateas Self - U.S. Senate
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Sonny Bono
    Sonny Bono
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Howard Coble
    • Self - U.S. Congressas Self - U.S. Congress
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    John Conyers
    John Conyers
    • Self - U.S. Congressas Self - U.S. Congress
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Graeme Craddock
    Graeme Craddock
    • Self (Branch Davidian)as Self (Branch Davidian)
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Dianne Feinstein
    Dianne Feinstein
    • Self - U.S. Congressas Self - U.S. Congress
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Orrin Hatch
    Orrin Hatch
    • Self - U.S. Senateas Self - U.S. Senate
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Jim Jones
    Jim Jones
    • Self - in Jonestownas Self - in Jonestown
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    David Koresh
    David Koresh
    • Self - Branch Davidian Leaderas Self - Branch Davidian Leader
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Lantos
    • Self - U.S. Congressas Self - U.S. Congress
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Janet Reno
    Janet Reno
    • Self - U.S. Attorney Generalas Self - U.S. Attorney General
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Gazecki
    • Writers
      • William Gazecki
      • Dan Gifford
      • Michael McNulty
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    This controversial documentary about the stand-off between an unorthodox Christian group - the Branch Davidians, under the leadership of the young, charismatic David Koresh - and the FBI and ATF in Waco, Texas, from February to April 1993 presents a different spin on the events from that of the United States government, which held that the Branch Davidians set the fire that destroyed their compound, and killed the vast majority of them, on April 19, 1993. Using footage from the 51 day siege, from the congressional hearings afterwards, from people involved in all aspects of the siege, and from experts technical, psychological, and religious, the movie suggests that the Branch Davidians were not a cult, but a valid religious group practicing under First Amendment freedoms who fell victim to first the ineptitude of an ATF raid designed to garner the agency positive attention and later the cruel, methodical work of the FBI, who over-saw the murder of the Davidians and then quickly covered it up. —Gary Dickerson <slug@mail.utexas.edu>
    brutalityfbi brutalityburncivilian killed by a copcombustion82 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • History
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Based on the same real life events as Waco Cult (2012), Revelations of Waco (2018), Waco: The Inside Story (1995), Truth and Lies: Waco (2018), Waco: Madman or Messiah (2018), Waco (2015), Waco: A New Revelation (2000), Waco: Clive Doyle (2018), Secrets of Waco (2017), The Secrets of Waco (2018), Waco, the Big Lie (1993), Waco (2015), Waco (2018), David Koresh (2007), Witness to Waco: Inside the Siege (2009) and In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco (1993).
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: A Thousand Acres/The Myth of Fingerprints/Going All the Way/Waco: The Rules of Engagement/Gravesend/Fire (1997)

    User reviews39

    Review
    Top review
    A Must See!
    I'm neither a Lawyer or a Law Enforcement Officer but as a fellow Filmmaker I must recommend this Documentary for many reasons. First off, a government controlled press kept America briefed during the so-called seige. The FBI & ATF spun the Korish Story into making us believe he was out of control and a cop killer. My take is that Korish had started to believe too much of his own preachings and lost control of his flock and p***ed off City Officials in WACO, Texas... leading to possible gun possession charges but to come down on the guy like they did is a dark day I'll never forget. This Doc from lots of footage from a WACO TV Station shows our Government in a post Ruby Ridge environment again making up its own "Rules" to "Engage" the so-called enemy, in this case mainly Women & Children. The fire that develops and finalizes the case for Janet Reno is as disgusting as the reality of the hundreds of chard remains of innocent christians that couldn't find their way. For any of us Americans that think that Law Enforcement is set up to work within the laws better think twice after WACO and hopefully this will be a lesson for all to learn from so it won't ever happen again.
    helpful•24
    5
    • JEVizzusi
    • Oct 16, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 19, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • official site
      • Official site; reviews; showings; images
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Правила поединка
    • Filming locations
      • Waco, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fifth Estate Productions
      • SomFord Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $142,193
    • Gross worldwide
      • $142,193
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 16min
    • Color
      • Color

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