Film Review: God’s Children Are Not For Sale

Sound of Freedom is a suspense, action film that depicts the exploits of Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security agent who goes rogue to rescue children from sex trafficking rings. Alejandro Monteverde is the director who also co-wrote the script alongside Rod Barr. Jim Caviezel plays the role of Tim Ballard. The cast also includes Mira Sorvino, Kurt Fuller, Bill Camp, and Jose Zuniga.

Ballard comes across a case where he learns of two siblings who were abducted from their single father and sold into a sex slavery. He has spent years tracking and arresting pedophiles but is challenged by a colleague who asks how many children he has actually saved. Ballard is the founder of a non-profit organization known as Operation Underground Railroad. I have been familiar with this guy for some time, and he does not come without some skeptics and controversy.

Putting all of that aside, the film is pretty well done. Caviezel puts in a compelling performance. It was interesting to see him having to say some pretty disturbing things in order to gain the confidence and trust of various ringleaders. There are some scenes that seem a little implausible, but the topic is treated with appropriate gravitas and seriousness. The actors portraying the pedophiles and slave traders are disturbingly convincing in their roles, but that’s why they make the big bucks. This may be another story that has quite a bit of creative license in the development, but the film does its job in stirring emotions regarding child sex trafficking. The child actors did a great job. The movie is successful when it comes to building the suspense and keeping the audience engaged. The message regarding the seriousness and evil of child sex trafficking is pretty powerfully presented without it being too graphic and stomach-churning. The subject matter is disturbing enough on its own.

Even if I have a few doubts regarding the accuracy, I think the overall message is worthy of support. The film is still pretty well done, and I think the matter of child sex trafficking does need all the attention it can get, so hopefully we have better policies and practices in place to help rid ourselves of this scourge on humanity. Perhaps saying that I enjoyed the movie would seem a little odd, however I have no regrets that I took the time to see it.