Movie Review: Sound of Freedom
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My wife and I celebrated this year's Fourth of July by watching the premiere of Angel Studios' Sound of Freedom. We did not regret it.
Sound of Freedom follows the story of Tim Ballard, a Homeland Security agent whose cases revolve around human trafficking, specifically, the online exploitation of children. Even though Ballard mentions to his partner that they have arrested dozens of pedophiles in the past, they are both haunted by the victims still suffering and cannot help. Following a successful operation, Tim Ballard obtains the information and means to rescue a little boy who fell victim to child exploitation. After saving the child, the boy asks Tim a question that will ultimately change his life and lead him down a road that requires sacrifice, courage, and much faith.
"Can you find my sister?" the boy asked.
Sound of Freedom is a film that immediately makes you feel uncomfortable, yet it is that same feeling that forces you to reflect on the horrors of human trafficking, such as the destruction of a child's innocence and the powerlessness that families feel when their loved ones are robbed from them. It is a gripping tale based on a true story that opens your eyes to a form of slavery that often goes uncovered or is even rejected by the mainstream media.
As I watched Sound of Freedom and the difficult decisions made by its protagonist, I couldn't help but think about what it means to be a man and why, more than ever, it is essential for men to embrace the duties that stem from their nature.
In a world that seems to constantly push people away from the roles that men and women have had throughout the ages, Tim Ballard represents a man who fulfills the masculine role of a protector. Still, he is a character that displays a conscious and healthy grasp of his emotions, qualities that, to some, might be considered feminine. However, I would argue that this mastery of emotions is a sign of maturity that ultimately guides him to make the difficult choice of resigning from his job as a Homeland Security agent and dedicating himself fully to the rescuing of exploited children in Latin America.
When choosing to rescue the boy’s sister, Tim Ballard shows his ability to mentally put himself in the difficult shoes of suffering families and empathizing with them when he asks himself and others he recruits for his mission, “What if it were your daughter?”
Jim Caviezel, known for his iconic roles in The Passion of the Christ and The Count of Monte Cristo, helps to tell the story of a real-life hero as he plays the role of Tim Ballard.
I enjoyed Sound of Freedom in a similar way that I enjoyed Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, also released this year. In The Covenant, a local interpreter risks his own life to carry an injured U.S. servicemember across miles of grueling terrain. After discovering that the interpreter was left behind in Afghanistan during the American evacuation from the country, the U.S. Army sergeant returns to the warzone alone in order to find the man who saved his life and give his family the safe passage to America that they were once promised.
These movies are about strong men with an even stronger sense of duty, honor, and moral integrity. It is the embodiment of those qualities that launch each character into their own dangerous missions in pursuit of repaying debts and protecting innocent lives from this world's evils.
Although I am guilty of enjoying morally questionable characters in some action movies, the protagonists in Sound of Freedom and The Covenant are far from the antiheroes that movies like John Wick or Deadpool depict.
Characters like Sound of Freedom's Tim Ballard or The Covenant's John Kinley are a refreshing depiction of what it means to be men of strong character whose values are worth more than status, comfort, safety, or a lofty government pension. Such characters are reminders of the incredible importance of fulfilling our purpose in life and the responsibility people have to serve others with the abilities they are given. If you have the capability to protect, then you must fulfill your duty as a protector, whether it is of values, family, community, or all of the above. So, while characters like John Wick or Deadpool act out of revenge or personal pleasure, characters like Tim Ballard and John Kinley operate out of a sense of responsibility to protect those who cannot defend themselves.
Despite Sound of Freedom outperforming box office movies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, other reviews heavily criticize the movie. Likely, this is because the movie is considered a Christian-based movie (a controversial thing nowadays, apparently). Still, the only two moments that explicitly point to God or any Christian values in the movie are when Tim Ballard says, "God's children are not for sale," and when another character mentions that we should not hesitate to do what we are meant to do after discovering God's purpose in our lives. So, if the movie being produced by a Christian studio is a turnoff for you, don't let it be. You will miss out on a genuinely good story. It is not coincidental that Sound of Freedom's $14.5 million production budget is rivaling and outperforming Indiana Jones' newest installment, which, in comparison, had a $295 million production budget and is struggling to make a fraction of those costs back.
Sound of Freedom is an extremely well-produced movie, especially considering its relatively low production budget. I believe part of that success is due to its simple yet controversial message that resonates with its viewers:
What are you willing to do to protect the innocent from evil?
Many other reviewers may attack this movie, perhaps because of religious or political views, but the opening numbers do not lie. When my wife and I decided to watch this movie at our local theater, we had to sit at the 10 PM showing because all the other showtimes were sold out. The only other recent time we saw a similar crowd at our local theater was during the opening week of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. In less than a week, Sound of Freedom is already nearing to break even on its $14.5 million budget.
Finally, Jim Caviezel gives a special message during the movie's credits, focusing on the power of storytelling. In his message, he states that the most powerful people are storytellers, and I agree. The story of Tim Ballard and the stories of the children who fight to escape the unjustifiable horrors of their worlds should inspire people to do more, stand up to evil, and defend the innocent whenever given a chance. Stories can inspire but also reveal truths and change people's perspectives.
Sound of Freedom is a calling for people to reevaluate their duties, beliefs, and motivations, and it challenges all of its viewers to act upon their values despite the odds.
God has a purpose for everyone. When we discover what that purpose is, we must not hesitate to fulfill it.
Do I recommend watching Sound of Freedom? That is a resolute yes.
My duty as a storyteller…
Because I also believe in the immense power of storytelling, I created a "starter kit" for becoming a writer. When you join my email list, you will receive a free copy of my writing guide, 15 Ways to Overcome Writer's Block. You will also receive a free copy of my book, Red Magic. Red Magic is a poetry collection written in the form of love letters. The book also includes some reflection questions that will serve as writing prompts that explore what it means to live and what it means to love. I believe everyone has a story to tell and that they should tell it. It is our stories that often inspire and change other people's lives.
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