A real-life story of an undercover agent taking down a trafficking ring has become a surprise hit. Jim Caviezel stars in Sound of Freedom, a grittier and more realistic film than one might expect from a faith-based studio. It’s a powerful and deeply moving movie that is sure to touch viewers and send them home with a message.
The Story
Directed by Alejandro Monteverde, the movie follows Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel). A devout Mormon who’s also an anti-trafficking activist, he’s been in the business for years and is quite good at his job. He’s able to arrest traffickers and those who consume child pornography. But Ballard feels that he’s not saving children enough, so he decides to go undercover to find and rescue kids being used as sex slaves. He goes after a notorious cartel and, with the help of former cartel accountant Vampiro (Bill Camp), orchestrates a raid to free 54 children.
A Gripping Movie
Despite a slow start, Sound of Freedom quickly finds its footing and becomes a gripping movie. It doesn’t overplay its dangers and it never tries to milk the audience for their emotions. There are some very tough scenes, but they’re well earned rather than contrived and manipulative. And the performances, particularly that of Caviezel, are excellent.
Review
There’s plenty of visible suffering in this world: mass shootings, poverty, lack of healthcare and climate disasters. But the right wing seems to prefer to focus on these sordid fantasies about godless pedophiles. That’s what makes Sound of Freedom so effective, and so troubling.
As with all movies, Sound of Freedom has its flaws. Some of its pacing is off and the cinematography can be uninspiring. There is a brief scene in the jungle that doesn’t ring true and, for a moment, I wondered if I was actually watching a documentary or a Hollywood movie. But all of these issues are trivial compared to the underlying issue that this movie aims to address. This is an important and powerful lookmovies film that should be seen by everyone.
Conclusion
Sound of Freedom has found a strong and passionate audience, and it’s no wonder that it’s managed to make an impact. It is, however, a film that’s also been criticized by those who have been quick to turn the movie into a weapon of moral panic over this grossly exaggerated problem. This has especially been true among people who are involved with QAnon, the far-right conspiracy theory that’s become quite popular on social media.