Review of The Cokeville Miracle (2015) by Chipper J — 02 Dec 2015

The 'Cokeville Miracle' concerns the events of May 16, 1986, when Cokeville Elementary School, Wyoming, was besieged by former town marshal, David Young and his wife, Doris, who took 136 children and 18 adults hostage in a classroom with a gasoline bomb. The mentally unhinged pair hoped to receive payment of two million dollars per child, as well as an audience with President Reagan.

The underlying premise of the movie is sound but, instead of just sticking to the facts, it aims to convey a Christian message - that God answers those who prey - an approach that is neither unbiased nor subtle. Taking it that, by definition, a "miracle" involves forces that are "not explicable by natural or scientific laws", director T.C. Christensen comes down firmly on the side that a miracle is definitely down to God.

And the story is not entirely accurate, according to the Wiki regarding the 1986 Cokeville school hostage crisis. In reality, when Doris accidentally activated the bomb during David's bathroom break, it did not kill her instantly, as in the screenplay. Rather: "Returning to the scene, David Young shot his wife, then himself." OK, so that is a minor transgression in the nature of "based on real-life events".

T.C. Christensen served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Ohio and West Virginia from 1972 to 1974. And you can tell by watching the movie. While the interplay between the existing town investigator, Ron Hartley (a realist), and his wife (a believer) is one of the central themes, the disbeliever is quickly and easily converted and, clearly, the director would like the audience to believe too. There is no exploration of alternative theories regarding how the bomb had a snipped wire and failed to kill anyone: the only explanation is the guidance of guardian angels and God. To that end, the movie is biased and some of the non-Christian audience might not appreciate the evangelistic element that pervades until the final scene, where Ron happily joins his wife, family and the congregation in prayer.