“Sex trafficking is the fastest growing international crime that the world has ever seen. It has already passed the illegal arms trade and soon it’s going to pass the drug trade. Because you can only sell a bag of cocaine one time, but the child, five to ten times a day…” The Filmmakers. “God’s children are not for sale..” Tim Ballard
Within the first few minutes of the movie Sound of Freedom you get hooked. You are now the spectator of a gut pounding true story that will control your mind for 2 hours and 11 minutes. You will be hurled, pounded and pulled by your heart strings with one of the most abhorrent business of all time. Does this sound like an opening to Twilight Zone? Well it should, because this story should expand that part of your brain that makes you boiling mad.
You are taken to a lower income area of Honduras. Here we find Roberto (Jose Zuniga) upset over the kidnapping of his young daughter Rocio and his son Miguel. Flash back to former Navy Seal, now U.S. government police officer, Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) as makes a bust of a pedophile in the midst of setting up a child for sex purchase on the internet. Seeing the photos of the children, Ballard confronts his superior with a plan to find one of the children he saw on the pedophile’s computer.
It’s the beginning of a long and dangerous plan to take down the sex trafficker connected to the girl’s abduction that may lead to hundreds more. The subject matter gets very gut-wrenching as the film progresses to Columbia, one of the biggest centers for the child slave trade worldwide. Director Alejandro Monteverde who wrote the screenplay for which the film was produced by Angel Studios, keeps the tension high and chilling. His cinematographers dig deep to give their best work. It’s their only chance to show viewers the magnitude of the diabolical child slave trade and it’s all laid out on the big screen.
His casting director chooses the right children and parents for the central plot and they are magnificent in their depiction. Nicely directed they humanizes the victims. Choosing the pedophiles and the kidnappers must have been a real task. They have to be ruthless and even psychotic. Getting down and dirty in back rooms and in the jungles of Columbia we get a startling picture of the heartless cartels that only see dollar signs on the young faces of their merchandise.
As for Jim Caviezel, there are few actors like him that can pull off the determination and daring of the real Tim Ballard. In a stunning performance, Caviezel nails his character showing both his frenzied and heartfelt side during his “impossible” scheme to take down the flesh peddlers. It’s his best performance since Passion of the Christ (2004).
NOTEWORTHY: An estimated 2 million children are trafficked every year in the United States for slavery, organ harvesting and sex each year. And worldwide the numbers are as high as 6 million.
Sound of Freedom has been rated PG-13 for thematic content involving sex trafficking, violence, language, sexual references, some drug references and smoking throughout. Mature teens are welcome to see the film. If you are hesitant about seeing it and would like more information, please go to https://www.angel.com/watch/sound-of-freedom. Stay for the credits for a special announcement and additional information.
Don’t miss the Sound of Freedom it’s a must see. It’s the little Indie that could, now over $100 million and counting.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Jim Caviezel, Lucas Avcila, Alanna De La Rossa, Yessica Borroto, Manny Perez, Mira Sorvino, Bill Camp, Javier Godino
Directed and co-written by: Alejandro Monteverde
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic content involving sex trafficking, violence, language, sexual references, some drug references and smoking throughout
Running Time: 2 hrs. 11 min.
Opening Date: July 4, 2023
Distributed by: Angel Studios
Released in: Theaters
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
