In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

Made for TV movie tells only half the story

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 8 April 2017]

AMBUSH IN WACO is one in a series of American made-for-TV movies chronicling American police cases and various crimes. The series title is IN THE LINE OF DUTY, and it's not to be confused with the excellent Hong Kong action series of the same name. AMBUSH IN WACO is a straightforward account of the infamous Waco, Texas siege in which ATF agents stormed a stronghold belonging to the Branch Davidian cult.

The main problem with this film is that it was made contemporaneously with the true-life events, so much so that the whole story isn't even told (except in a written coda at the climax). However, it does build to a thrilling ending of sorts, the infamous and bungled siege that saw a number of ATF agents losing their lives as they attempted to storm the complex despite knowing the cult members inside were heavily armed.

The film as a whole isn't bad, although it does feel a little slow with over an hour of set-up before any kind of meaningful action begins. The story is very biased in favour of the authorities which a number of reviewers seem to take issue with. Tim Daly gives a very good performance as the deranged cult leader David Koresh, and old-timer Clu Gulager has a small role as the sheriff. Best of the lot is a youthful Neal McDonough, packing in the intensity even at this early stage of his career.

Tim Daly is excellent

[shorzfam · 6/10 · 14 October 2005]

This is quite a good movie, even though I remember it being started while the siege was still underway. The tension ratchets up throughout as we see Tim Daly do an excellent job as David Koresh ruling over his acolytes, alternately bullying and charismatic. He gives a convincing portrayal of a "sinful messiah" which certainly raised concerns in the straight-laced Baptist community of Waco, Texas. This is what initially attracted the attentions of various law enforcement agencies.

The interest of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is piqued, but never fully explained, as it is to this day. Both sides are then set on a course that ultimately leads to violence, leading up to the climactic attack of the Branch Davidian compound, which caps and concludes the movie. The siege and its fiery conclusion are not seen.

The movie doesn't portray Koresh as a frothing at the mouth religious fanatic but as a true believer in what he says. Thus, the viewer is left with the ambiguous feeling that he may not have deserved his fate. The ATF agents are never fleshed out and we don't feel any real sympathy for their deaths. We end up not totally understanding why this tragedy occurred, which is exactly how we felt then, as now.

Several up and comers appear in this film, including Neil McDonough (Band of Brothers and Medical Investigations) and NYPD Blue's Gordon Clapp. Lewis Smith is wasted as one of the slain ATF agents.

An Ambush On Truth

[TheAnimalMother · 1/10 · 23 March 2010]

I certainly don't support a lunatic like David Koresh at all. However this film is about an important true event in American history, in terms of law enforcement and human rights. This film is a totally biased propaganda film that entirely ignores the errors of every American government agency involved. This was obviously funded to some degree for the very purpose of their public image. It is an insult to truth. It is an insult to the viewer. It is an insult to the American public. It is an insult to the foreign public. It is an insult to humankind. Is there anyone else I can say it's an insult to? This is bottom of the barrel stuff. Whatever happened to admitting your mistakes and learning from them? Would it be so bad if they admitted their errors? If children covered up their mistakes with pure lies like this film does. Most parents would certainly have a big talk with, or even punish them for such things. And this is the behaviour of the most powerful government in the world. Absolutely ridiculous! Anyone who researches this event, or watched it unfold knows that this film is a biased load. This is the exact kind of ammunition that crazed idiots like Koresh use to trick vulnerable people into believing that their government is not to be trusted. With such ignorant public propaganda. It really makes you wonder how corrupt some American government agencies are. With this kind of stuff out there, it is also not much of a wonder that the U.S. has become such a distrusted country around the world. This film makes me mad, and it makes me sick. It also makes me wonder if the government could possibly hire any dumber public relations gurus than the ones who came up with the idea to fund this garbage.

0/10

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[MAX-78 · 19 September 1999]

There is no denying that Tim Daly's performance is stunning. But, it would seem that he was the only person working on this cartoonish debacle who did any research.

Now, what we have here is a question of motive. Why did they make this film without any access to the facts? (After all, the film was in post production before the siege was over) Were they making art? No. Were they documenting the truth? No. They didn't know what the truth was at that time. Were they trying the save the ATF from budget cutting and possible disbandment? I'll put my vote on yes.

This is a dangerous piece of propaganda, which holds murderers up as heroes, and displays people who are defending themselves as psychos.

Oh, and where was the scene where the FBI agents opened fire on the women and children who were hiding in the kitchen area to protect themselves from the CS gas? In fact, where was the CS gas?

A decently made...and perhaps unbalanced version of the Waco events

[Robert_duder · 7/10 · 31 March 2008]

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

So poorly done, the writer apologized.

[jeniferrobin · 1/10 · 23 December 2004]

This slip-shod piece of government propaganda was rushed to production before the final fire killed over 75 men, women and children. Although the disclaimer at the beginning of the film claims it was thoroughly researched, the stereotypes in which the characters were portrayed were comical, if not tragic misrepresentations. Filled with downright lies, the writer of this garbage later apologized to the surviving members and the families of those lost for his role in perpetuating the horrible myths surrounding David Koresh and his followers. (See David Thibodeau's _A Place Called Waco_, page 207 and writer Phil Penningroth's own "Righting Waco: Confessions of a Hollywood Propagandist" available at http://www.killingthebuddha.com/dogma/righting_waco.htm) This piece does play a role in the history of the standoff, as a clear example of the dead wrong information surrounding the standoff and raid. Therefore, take it with a grain of salt.

Not bad for a TV movie

[drxym · 7/10 · 12 September 2005]

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 boobs. 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.

A true piece of trash!

[JimHammond · 1/10 · 26 June 2002]

If you want to know the truth about what really happened in Waco, TX between February 28th, 1993 and April 19th, 1993, this IS NOT the film to see. The writers claimed at the movie's beginning that this film was a result of "extensive research" concerning what happened, yet there is hardly any truth in nearly every scene in this film. It not only is a villification of David Koresh and the Branch Davidians but also a portrayal of the AFT as "brave heroes" who risked their lives so as to protect society from these dangerous lunatics. It fails to mention the point that the only reason that the AFT made the raid in the first place was because they had budget hearings pending and they needed a good publicity coup for those hearings.

The only error this film makes concerning the February 28th raid that is worth mentioning here is the fact that it omits the role of the helicopters in the raid. Anyone who has studied the facts of the raid knows that it was the helicopters who fired the first shots when they straffed the building. It was also one of the helicopters that, when making a straffing pass over the building, fired the shots the killed Peter Gent as he was climbing from out of the water tower. In this film, the Davidians (including some late-middle aged women) are shown to ambush the AFT as they approached the front door. It was too bad that millions of people formed their opinion concerning Koresh, his followers and the entire Waco incident from this piece of trash.

If someone really wants to know the truth of both Koresh and his followers and the entire incident from beginning to end, the best references are the books "The Ashes of Waco: An Investigation" by Dick J. Reavis and "A Place Called Waco" by David Thibodeau. Also, the video "Waco: The Rules of Engagement" is a excellent piece of documentary film making.

Fact or Fiction?

[CarlNaamanBrown · 1/10 · 16 December 2005]

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.

Chilling and we'll done

[elizabethandtom · 9/10 · 19 April 2020]

Well acted. Tim was chilling. Very enjoyable! Riveting

While the movie may not have the facts right, it tells the story pretty much the way the agents say it happened.

[ghost-9 · 2/10 · 21 June 2001]

As a movie about what happened in 93 in Waco, this one is fairly well-made and entertaining enough to watch. It is one-sided in favor of the government which is fair, considering that they deserve their say also. We have a saying that " if it smells like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it probably is a duck ". It looks like agents meant to burn down the church and kill the occupants to punish them for the deaths of the BATF agents. I'm inclined to believe that contrary to any number of government "fact-finding" quest that seem to point to the opposite.

As usual, Hollywood makes another slanted movie.

[WolfgangR5150 · 27 November 2005]

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.

Fascist Garbage

[SHADO-5 · 1/10 · 5 March 1999]

Watch the outstanding documentary, Waco: The Rules of Engagement, and then watch this insulting inane dreck. If you are like me, you will want to slap the perpetrators of this ignorant, hateful, pro-"law enforcement" propaganda. People who deny the Holocaust will love Ambush in Waco.

Factually inaccurate

[rbourgon · 3/10 · 19 February 2022]

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)

Top-notch piece of work

[frankfob · 10/10 · 8 August 2005]

This is a first-rate accounting of the tragic deaths and destruction brought about by the actions and beliefs of a home-grown terrorist named David Koresh and his band of paranoid religious fanatics. Koresh may be (as is evidenced by several of the reviews on this page) worshiped by the lunatic fringe of right-wing government-hating zealots, but he was nothing more than a domestic version of Osama bin Laden and any number of power-crazed killers who cloak themselves in religion as an excuse to unleash their hatred and violence on the world, and this film does a good job of showing Koresh to be exactly that. Tim Daly is terrific as Koresh; I don't know if he was nominated for an Emmy for this, but if he wasn't he should have been, it's that good of a job. Director Dick Lowry stages the final assault in a straightforward manner, giving viewers a chilling and sobering idea of the volume of murderous gunfire that the federal agents were up against. The final result was, besides the murders of several law enforcement agents and the deaths of Koresh and his fellow terrorists, the terrible tragedy of the women and children of Koresh's band who, because of his fanaticism. hatred and insanity, he decreed had to die with him when he blew up the compound. The film has been criticized for taking some liberties with the facts, as most biographies do, and that may be true to a degree, since it was rushed into production so quickly, and it probably wouldn't have hurt if the filmmakers had taken a bit more time in preparation. But all things considered, this is an impressive accomplishment for a project that was put together in such a short time. You should definitely check it out.

This movies stinks

[Longskail · 26 August 2006]

This movie was the worst example of what really happened. The other persons comment really angers me. 80 men, women and children were burned alive by our government. Several years later it surfaced that the FED's really did launch incendiary devices at the Davidians church (compound labeled by the FED's to militarize the situation)I have seen the autopsy photos of the children and I cant tell you how much it brings tears to my eyes that no one has done anything to the ATF, FED and Military personal who are responsible. Keep harping on 9/11 and continue to close your eyes to what happen in Waco. I find it funny how the American Indians don't have a problem with believing what really happened in Waco but the rest of America cant seem to believe that our government would ever do such a terrible thing. Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Our government almost killed off an entire race of people (American Indians) and you find this hard to believe that it would murder 80 men, women and children?

Great Fun for Tragic Incident.

[haireylez · 9/10 · 7 May 2001]

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.

A movie that makes the crazy government haters mad.

[Bosco 55th · 11 August 1999]

This was released just 3 months after the shootout shown in the film. To make a good movie you need time and research. I don't think they gave much of either on this movie except for the shootout. I like this movie because as you can see. It makes the loony anti-government people mad. Just look at a previous comment and see. If you hate the government, this movie isn't for you. It was made by a company that has done at least 10 films that tell the story of the brave law enforcement officers/agents who have given their lives.

OVER 10 TIMES

[philipnaggs · 8/10 · 14 May 2023]

I'll say this; I use semi-colons a lot, and I have seen this movie over 10 times.

SPOILER ALERT, I liked it a lot For it's performances. Not for the performances it portrays.

Ambush in Waco is ambiguous.

Until you see the movie. They mean the ATF.

The song rises up with the song rise up to meet him.

Then not a lot happens until they arrive at Mt Carmel.

Jason meets Laura.

And then the foreshadowing followed up wit a great song, breaking in two , with montage Sons scared of dad. No supper, turns into rats in the shed.

One of the most amazing scenes I have ever seen comes next.

Who wants to live forever

Poor old Betsy fails her Revelations.

David Koresh plays Jesus, in sermon on the mount.

Go on sit down Lucy.

All women now belong to the lamb.

Waco delivery brings grenades.

Will you be my Judas comes next.

Poor old Carol wants a baby.

So blame the care worker.

Then comes weird Vernon in the library.

Lucky lamb.

accurate account of a national tragedy

[thomjerod · 12 May 2003]

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.

Setting the Scene in 93

[gamesemail · 31 December 2023]

I remember watching this when it came out. I swear the siege was still going on when they started production. It made me wonder how accurate it could possibly be. I think it aired shortly before the trial or during. But this was when made for tv movies were rushed out the door and there were often multiple. Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan both got one on different channels and so on for each scandal. Hope this sets the scene a little bit for why movies were rushed. What it doesn't answer is where were the others from the opposite points of view?

But really the comedian from Wings was going to play this evil cult leader? But Tim Daly was so different and so frightening to be completely honest. He shined and I don't think I've ever been more impressed with him. Not to mention the makeup team. They really made him look like Koresh.

It followed the known information about the case at the time. But I think that was the point. They were a company that was trying to influence public opinion in a certain manner. Waco only got one tv movie in 93 I believe. And the radio show Koresh himself did. No one touched it for 5 years. I believe this is a good movie for explaining the times, how this tragedy happened, and how everyone reacted after. Maybe a little heavy for a movie review but I think it's an important one nonetheless.