Sound of Freedom (2023) — Harrowing Yet Hopeful, An Important Film
“God’s children are not for sale.”
Sound of Freedom (2023) is a dramatic thriller centred around the scourge of child trafficking and paedophilia. It is based on a true story about Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security Agent, and his efforts to combat this horrendous stain plaguing society.
The subject is a harrowing one and its awareness is paramount. I applaud the film for shedding light on the shroud of darkness penetrating the globe on levels unheard of in modern times.
The writing and direction splendidly depict Evil in one of its purest forms yet refraining from gratuitous visuals for shock factor. The trafficked children and the hell they experience are set up sufficiently to get the point across and the rest is implied.
It astounds me that the rating is kept PG-13 and yet the film is able to get under your skin and make you wince. I had a lump in my throat and had difficulty swallowing for the majority of the runtime. Tears were shed in some instances. This showcases the acuity of the filmmakers in delivering this important message and story to the masses.
Although the story can be depressing, the efforts of people combating traffickers and paedophiles bring hope. All is not lost as long as there are courageous souls willing to dive into the abyss and cast away the shadow. It inspires and motivates you to fight your own demons and become stronger for the sake of yourself, your loved ones and, in general, your fellow Humans.
The engaging experience is in no small part due to the cast. Everyone ranged from decent to superb. The notable ones are:
- Jim Caveizal's performance of the protagonist Tim Ballard, a real-life hero, depicts a man who has witnessed the worst of humanity and soldiers on. A lot is conveyed with the eyes alone, striking distress, pain and conviction effortlessly — reminiscent of Deigo Luna in Andor. The facial expressions work in tandem with the eyes demonstrating horror and shock but switching it up during undercover operations showcasing range.
- Bill Camp as Vampiro, the “Batman” of the underworld, who turned away from the life of vice for a greater cause was probably the best. The scenes of him and Tim were amazing.
- Lucas Avilla and Cristal Aparicio who play Miguel and Rocio respectively were brilliant. The narrative crux of two siblings sex trafficked and shoved into hell riddles you with FEELS and the child actors brought it amicably.
Filmed on location and with a plethora of wide shots and aerial photography, the film is a looker. You are taken aback a bit when you learn that the production cost only 14.5 Million Dollars. The direction by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde is no slouch; the film has a bookend style that drives home the message aptly. A consistent solid pace that captivates you from beginning to end during the 130 minutes runtime. Not an instant of boredom occurred.
The entire experience is elevated by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Poignant, melancholic and hopeful tunes decorate the writing and ring in your ears phenomenally. Major props to the composer Javier Navarrette.
However, not everything was seamless or well put together. There are few instances of wonky editing. Some of the scene transitions were monotonous and almost felt as though a longer cut of the film was ready to go but was scaled down to be more palatable for wider audiences and was put together while being pressed for time. That contention backs up my biggest flaw with the film i.e. the role of Katherine Ballard. Not only has Tim given credit to his wife as being one of, if not the most, important pillars in his crusade against child sex trafficking and paedophiles, mentioning it countless times in interviews and podcasts in real life, an anchor for him in his foray into the uncertain valley of darkness, but the film itself at the end mentions this. So the decision to cut her scenes to the extent that not a single one is a minute long is utterly baffling.
While the film is based on a true story that is currently ongoing and Tim Ballard himself was involved in the making of the project, creative liberties had to be taken. Some for narrative purposes to make the experience cohesive and flow smoothly. Others due to budget restrictions such as the scaling down of Operation Triple Take (the sting operation shown in the film). The changes are detailed on Angel Studios Website (many other sites have them too). Considering the arduous journey of the film’s production and budgetary limitations, the team did a bang-up job overall.
Now, I’ve encountered a plethora of controversies regarding films, tv-series and other pop-culture media online over the course of my life being a fan of such mediums of art and entertainment. Some are straight legit, some have validity but are overblown, while others are a nothing burger. The one surrounding Sound of Freedom has to be one of the most stupid ones I’ve seen in relation to a film… perhaps ever. Almost as if people spouting the nonsense about it being QAnon propaganda or extreme right-wing/Christian psyop etc. didn’t actually watch it… go figure. It’s infuriating that several news sites and people with a large following on social media were among them. The ridiculous onslaught from naysayers resulted in many of the defenders not holding back either and starting to believe in retaliatory nonsense too. It should actually scare you that the levels of political and ideological polarization, and the gullibility of the masses online are so GODDAMN high that a plethora of people can be easily roped into utter drivel.
But hey, there is a silver lining to it. I guess God just wasn’t having it and all that noise worked in favour of the film overall because it gave it a massive marketing boost and the Box Office reflects that. It is one of the most successful independent films of all time. I wouldn’t have found out about Sound of Freedom either if the so-called controversy wasn’t being thrown around on social media and YouTube. Ah, The Universe sure does work in mysterious ways.
Anyway, Sound of Freedom is an absolute must-watch. I highly recommend giving it a try. It is a solid drama and thriller tackling a difficult and necessary subject in its own right but when tied to true events, it becomes even more pronounced and relevant. Discard whatever you saw or heard about the controversy surrounding it. Do the basic thing, watch it yourself and then make up your mind. It’s not an action film so don’t go in expecting that. The film manages to invigorate without it. It’s a heavy watch even though it is PG-13. It makes you ponder and you wander into the darkness of humanity. So keep that in mind.
I tip my proverbial hat to Angel Studios for buying the rights from Disney, Tim Ballard and others like him doing all they can to battle child sex trafficking and paedophiles, and the cast and crew of the production. And if I were to rate it, I’d give it an 8.5/10.
