Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) is a special agent for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As an undercover operative, he has successfully captured nearly 300 child predators. However, he wrestles with a moral conundrum. The inability to rescue the actual children themselves weighs heavily on him. He decides to do something about it. After gaining the trust of an arrested criminal (Kris Avedisian), he determines the whereabouts of a missing boy from Honduras named Miguel (Lucas Avila). He sets up a sting where he secures his freedom. Miguel’s father (Jose Zuniga) is elated. Unfortunately, he still has a daughter named Rocio (Cristal Aparicio), who is still in jeopardy. Tim wants to take down the sex traffickers, but his boss (Kurt Fuller) at DHS advises against it. His wife Katherine (Mira Sorvino) is surprisingly supportive. Tim chooses to quit his job and act on his own beliefs.
Sound of Freedom is an incredible tale “based on a true story” that relies on traditional storytelling techniques. In that sense, it presents an old-fashioned genre thriller with an action hero that inspires admiration. Ballard’s mission will bring him to Colombia. Here, he will meet with a former cartel member named Vampiro (Bill Camp), now a changed man of faith. “When God tells you what to do, you cannot hesitate.” Together they set up a trap for sex traffickers by pretending to recruit for a hotel to lure pedophiles. Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous islands in the Caribbean came to mind. I’m sure the parallel was intended. Their decoy operation will ultimately involve facing a guerilla group in the jungle and extracting the minor from the clutches of a crime lord called El Alacran/The Scorpion (Gerardo Taracena). The miraculous rescue abetted by a vigilante hero recalls the action thrillers of the 1970s. Charles Bronson, anyone?
The real-life Tim Ballard has become an activist that inspires a lot of passionate reactions from all sides of the political spectrum. Ballard was involved in the production and reportedly wanted star Jim Caviezel, who shares his passion, to play him. During the closing credits, the actor even addresses the audience and makes an impassioned plea. He thanks everyone for supporting the picture and encourages people to pay it forward by purchasing a ticket online for viewers who can’t afford to see it. He implores, “God’s children are not for sale.” Many in my theater loudly responded in agreement, “Amen!” It is admittedly a compelling appeal.
The global crisis of child trafficking isn’t the subject of typical summer fare. Yet the issue has become the basis for an unexpected indie success for Angel Studios, earning $100.9 million thus far on a budget of $14.5 million. The production has undeniably struck a chord. Director and co-writer (with Rod Barr) Alejandro Monteverde never depicts sexual assault. It’s wisely restained and rated PG-13 simply for thematic content. However, the crimes are suggested to illuminate a dark topic that is a harrowing reality. It has managed to push an unpleasant conversation into the mainstream. As such, the release has attracted its fair share of controversy and unfairly become part of the current culture war. Whether you’re left, right, or somewhere in the middle, we can easily agree that sex trafficking is bad. A movie review is not a place to debate conspiracy theories that have nothing to do with this film. It is to examine and confirm this a gut-wrenching portrait. Sound of Freedom effectively relies on emotion to inspire action against a disturbing plight.
07-13-23
5 Responses
A powerful movie about child trafficking which is a little hard to watch. There are a lot of awful people out there who buy these children. Heartbreaking that this exists. 3 1/2 stars ⭐️
Tragic but enlightening.
There’s surely another story waiting to be told. How’d the makers of this movie ever get it past the corporate censors into regular theaters in this day and age! Will wonders never cease?
“… the film was actually shot and completed in 2018 and was originally going to be released by 20th Century Fox. However, that studio would eventually be purchased by the Walt Disney Company. Having obtained the rights to Sound of Freedom in the merger, Disney elected to shelve the film instead of releasing it outright.”
Thanks for the info. I knew it’d taken a long time and a lot of effort but I didn’t know the route it had traveled. That God would allow a movie of this sort to fall into the hands of Disney, even momentarily, surely proves He has a sense of humor.