Waco

Waco dramatises the confrontation between the Branch Davidians and federal authorities in Texas. Taylor Kitsch plays David Koresh, while Michael Shannon gives the negotiation side a strong, controlled presence.

The confined situation supplies the tension. Communication passes through people with different information and different ideas about what the next decision should achieve. The scenes work best when they allow that pressure to emerge from an exchange rather than relying on the audience's knowledge of the real events.

It is a drama with a chosen perspective, not a complete documentary account of a disputed history. That is worth keeping in mind without dismissing the performances or the care given to the impasse. For viewers interested in negotiation under extreme strain, there is substantial material here, though the subject makes it a difficult rather than casual watch.