American Apocalypse Review – another tragedy involving a religious cult

We review the Netflix documentary series Waco: American Apocalypse.

“Do you trust in the Lord?” asks a recorded voice. “I am the Lord” The cult leader answers.

Netflix is back with hers True crime documentaries, which still claims the crown among streaming services for some of the best, highest-quality content available. Released to commemorate thirty years after the incident, this three-part documentary series looks at one of the bloodiest shootings in American history.

Waco: American Apocalypse Review

We see the dramatic story of David Koresha cult leader who is in control of the Branch of Davidian Religious Sect In the late 1980s he claimed to be a prophet. His supporters believed the end of the world was near and they would fight with the federal government. Because of this, they made illegal guns/weapons.

Well, if you’re a fan of true crime documentaries, you know that most people who claim to be a prophet usually have some serious allegations; Why else would Netflix put money into the production of these documentaries? Koresh was accused of polygamy and child sexual abuse, so much so that it prompted the federal government to raid his Mount Carmel Center compound near Waco, Texas in 1993. This resulted in a bloody siege that lasted fifty-one days and caused several unnecessary deaths. Incredibly, that standoff was televised live, and we got to see a lot of that dramatic footage.

We hear from David Koresh’s relatives, his ex-cultists and agents/law enforcement who set up the case to arrest Koresh and confiscate all the firearms. There are many emotions from both sides and it can be said that people did not want the violence and casualties that occurred.

You will see familiar patterns in scammers, especially cult leaders. They use religion to control and manipulate people and they always exploit it financially and sexually. In this cult, men were forbidden to have sex with their wives and only Koresh was allowed to have sex with them. Kathy, a woman interviewed, talks about being with Koresh as having sex with God, and he selflessly did so for her. Koresh has been having sex with girls since she was ten, and Kathy seems to think that’s okay. Her perspective is interesting because it’s still so institutionalized; Perhaps the reality of their choices is too terrible to face.

There is a lot of footage of the events and it is almost unbelievable to watch. The bullets raining down is like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, not a small place in Texas, USA. The FBI did not negotiate, especially after hearing that children were being sexually assaulted and they were willing to fight to stop Koresh and his cult.

The ending and result are very disturbing; a burning building and bloody riot that resulted in the deaths of four federal agents, eighty-two adults, and twenty-eight children in Waco; Can’t help but watch and wonder if it all could have gone differently?

Is Waco: American Apocalypse good?

Yes. This is a great true crime docuseries that is easily bingeable in a day/few days depending on your time and will have you hooked from the start. It’s an awful piece of history, but one I’m glad has been shared and hopefully helps some of the people involved find some closure.

What I will ask of anyone watching the followers of Koresh, were they martyrs dying for their god or people so manipulated by an imposter that they were part of a mass suicide? Both David Koresh and the FBI and ATF knew how to abuse power and did so, resulting in many needless deaths. The apocalyptic carnage that ensued is hard to believe and hard to imagine, and it’s clear they could and should have saved more lives, if not all.

What do you think of the Netflix true crime documentary series Waco: American Apocalypse?? Comment below

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