Movie Review: ‘Sound of Freedom’ Shines a Light on the Issue of Human Trafficking By Lincoln Brown
Yesterday, my wife and I did two things. One was to attend a neighbor’s Fourth of July barbecue — something I have not done in about thirty years. The second was to take in a showing of Sound of Freedom. Having been on a human trafficking awareness mission trip to Cambodia, the issue is near and dear to our hearts. We have met the people whose lives were nearly destroyed by trafficking. We have heard their stories and have seen just how devastating this issue truly is.
The victims ran the gamut from five years old to late teens and early twenties. These women and children sustain emotional and psychological damage, and physical injuries from years of abuse. As I have written before, there was one child who had been poisoned. This was done to disable her so that she could beg on the streets. She lived out her short life in a wheelchair, unable to speak or walk.
Sound of Freedom tells a compelling story. It blends action with a message, departing from the glib characterization of “thriller” to produce some moving, thoughtful, unsettling, and frightening moments. Jim Caviezel does a fine turn as Tim Ballard. My wife and I met Ballard for all of three minutes at an event years ago, and Cavielzel does not look like him. But Ballard is only part of the story, as odd as that may sound.
The character of Vampiro/Batman, a former cartel member who is expiating past sins by rescuing children from the sex trade, is one of the most interesting characters in the story. He is a booze-swilling, foul-mouthed, cigar-smoking, tough guy who is fighting the good fight. Actually, he has most of the good lines, and you find yourself rooting for him almost from the moment he is introduced.
The sheer evil of an ex-beauty queen based on former Miss Cartagena, Kelly Johana Suarez, who lures children into slavery, is nothing short of chilling. The traffickers and cartel members in the film are not given “redemptive moments.” That is because there are times when evil must be recognized for what it is and not given a pass for one reason or another. In fact, as the film unfolds, you find yourself asking, “What does it take for someone to cross such a wicked line? How can someone sell their soul in such a way?”
If I have any critique, it is that the film does seem to drag in some scenes. But I do not know if that is by accident or design. The longer moments produced some low-level anxiety, and that may have been done on purpose. From discussions with the people I have met, rescuing someone from human trafficking is not easily or quickly done, and the results of one’s efforts are never guaranteed. It may take months to extricate someone from slavery, and there are times when those efforts are not successful. And those moments when the film slows down mirror the anxiety, frustration, and tension people who liberate children from this insidious type of evil often feel. If this was intentional, someone deserves an award for editing.
Variety gave the film a fairly decent review, stating in part:
Yet let’s assume that, like me, you’re not a right-wing fundamentalist conspiracy theorist looking for a dark, faith-based suspense film to see over the holiday weekend. (The movie opens July 3.) Even then, you needn’t hold extreme beliefs to experience “Sound of Freedom” as a compelling movie that shines an authentic light on one of the crucial criminal horrors of our time, one that Hollywood has mostly shied away from.
Jezebel’s review was not nearly so kind, starting with its headline “‘Sound of Freedom’ Is an Anti-Child Trafficking Fantasy Fit for QAnon.” The writer gripes that he was not entertained, only “bemused.” He also accuses the film of being “tailored to go down easy,” adding:
That’s how propaganda works, and Caviezel’s shameless begging at the end of the movie underlines a desperation to disseminate. The polish only makes Sound of Freedom’s attempt to illustrate how a voguish cultural anxiety can be ameliorated if people would just be courageous enough to pursue it (or give money to those willing to pursue it) more insidious.
Both reviews do mention that the child sex trade is a serious issue. The problem appears to be that the Left does not like conservatives saying so or doing anything about it. Not only is it not a good look for the Left, but Pizzagate accusations aside, it is not exactly a state secret anymore that Hollywood is eyeball-deep in some very nasty things. For some reason, people always move on to other stories after the shock of the latest revelations wears off.
Ballard has been accused of not being entirely truthful about his experiences and making them sound more swashbuckling than they actually are. That reaction is to be expected from people who are uncomfortable facing the issue of the child sex trade, particularly when it is in their own backyards or the businesses or policies they favor. And yes, parts of the movie have been fictionalized.
Operation Underground Railroad has been upfront about that and has even devoted a page on its site to separating fact from fiction in the film. Caviezel does make a pitch during the end credits asking people to spread the word about the film and telling the viewers how to “pay it forward” by purchasing tickets for those who may not be able to afford them. Incidentally, you may do so here.
Watching Caviezel, I was not left with the impression that he was “begging” for money. Only the most jaded and morally bereft souls among us would venture toward that conclusion. Rather, there is a need to disseminate the message. Our leaders and luminaries don’t seem particularly interested in doing that, not when there are more socially appetizing and self-aggrandizing causes to hawk. One would think we could all get on the same page about this issue, right? Alas, the answer still seems to be “no.”
Ultimately, one leaves the theater with the feeling that there is work to be done. But what? We do not all have the expertise to rescue children from traffickers around the world. I once watched a video featuring a group of young men who planned to go to Southeast Asia, pick up trafficking victims, and convince them to leave the business. It’s a noble sentiment, but it is a plan that could end in disaster for everyone involved.
Trafficking victims are slaves, not employees. They are given new names and in some cases numbers. They are often tortured, and their captors may force them to become addicted to narcotics to ensure that they do not flee. The victims do not have the option of giving two weeks’ notice. Human trafficking is a very violent and dangerous business. Rescuing people can be equally dangerous and is very delicate work.
But you can spread the word. The USA is a leader in the consumption of child porn and human trafficking. And in a country in which porn and the sexualization of children are quickly becoming normalized, the reality of these two evils needs to be exposed in every available venue. You can donate to Operation Underground Railroad, and you can volunteer on this page. If you don’t see something that fits your particular skill set, drop them a line. I’m sure they could find a way for you to help.
Ultimately, governments do not change the world in the way that they would have you believe. People change the world: people like Tim Ballard and people like you.
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