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The Siege at Ruby Ridge (1996)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 5/22

SiegeRR
5/22: Until popping The Siege at Ruby Ridge into the DVD player, I had never heard of the story before.

If that's how it went down, then the U.S. government agents are guilty of two murders. I didn't see any provocation from the Weavers' side. They had guns and were on their land which is protected by the Second Amendment. The camouflaged recon team of six U.S. Marshals didn't make a fair signal to show why they're there or what their intentions were. To this day, the true version of the initial encounter remains unknown.

Of course, it's easy to say if Randy Weaver hadn't gotten into trouble in the first place then the whole thing wouldn't have happened. What I don't like about the movie is the withholding of some information. An example is the failure to reveal the fact that the ATF agent's cover had been blown (I mean the bearded guy who bought illegal guns from Randy; the government later admitted that it was entrapment). It's how Randy was asked to become an informant, but he refused to.

Meanwhile, the acting isn't bad for the most part. Laura Dern steals the show while Randy Quaid is a happy-go-lucky guy. Kirsten Dunst is very young-looking. G.W. Bailey does a good job during pivotal moments. It's really the story that's front and center.

All in all, The Siege at Ruby Ridge offers an interesting history lesson of what happened in Idaho.