Hallward's Ghost (talk | contribs) →Controversies: restore well-sourced section with very relevant information regarding this film, including both the subject of the film as well as the lead actor in the film. shouldn't be removed without discussion |
Red Slapper (talk | contribs) Undid revision 1164893065 by Hallward's Ghost (talk) "stop it" is not an argument - I explained why this was removed -discuss on the talk page if you think otherwise. Tags: Undo Reverted |
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== Controversies == |
== Controversies == |
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=== Accuracy === |
=== Accuracy === |
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While the film is purportedly based on real events involving Ballard's involvement in [[Operation Underground Railroad]] (O.U.R), the accounts of those events have been questioned by researchers and reporters. In a 2020 article on ''[[Vice News]]'', Anna Merlan states that Ballard embellished O.U.R.'s role in the rescue of a trafficked woman.<ref name="vice">{{cite news |last1=Merlan |first1=Anna |title=A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7a3qw/a-famed-anti-sex-trafficking-group-has-a-problem-with-the-truth |access-date=December 24, 2020 |work=www.vice.com |date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224001855/https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7a3qw/a-famed-anti-sex-trafficking-group-has-a-problem-with-the-truth |url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2021 follow-up article, Melan and Tim Marchman criticized O.U.R.'s practices, including using inexperienced donors and celebrities as part of its jump team, a lack of meaningful surveillance or identification of targets, failing to validate whether the people they intended to rescue were in fact actual trafficking victims, and conflating consensual [[sex work]] with sex trafficking.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity's Blundering Overseas Missions |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxev5/inside-a-massive-anti-trafficking-charitys-blundering-overseas-missions |access-date=June 5, 2021 |work=Vice News|first1=Anna|last1=Merlan|first2=Tim|last2=Marchman |date=March 8, 2021 |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513052432/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxev5/inside-a-massive-anti-trafficking-charitys-blundering-overseas-missions |url-status=live}}</ref> A 2021 article in ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' criticized a 2014 raid conducted by O.U.R. in the Dominican Republic, saying that it was likely to have traumatized the trafficked children. [[Anne Gallagher]], an authority on human trafficking, wrote in 2015 that O.U.R. had an "alarming lack of understanding about how sophisticated criminal trafficking networks must be approached and dismantled" and called the work of O.U.R "arrogant, unethical and illegal".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Conley |first=Meg |date=May 11, 2021 |title=Called by God |work=Slate |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/05/sex-trafficking-raid-operation-underground-railroad.html |access-date=May 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601042815/https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/05/sex-trafficking-raid-operation-underground-railroad.html |archive-date=June 2021 |issn=1091-2339}}</ref> |
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Investigative journalists Lynn Packer and Damion Moore of ''American Crime Journal'' reported that Tim Ballard lied about his involvement in the case portrayed in the film and fabricated details about his child sex trafficking activities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://americancrimejournal.com/the-arrest-of-earl-venton-buchanan/ |title=The Arrest of Earl Venton Buchanan |date=September 5, 2022 }}</ref> |
Investigative journalists Lynn Packer and Damion Moore of ''American Crime Journal'' reported that Tim Ballard lied about his involvement in the case portrayed in the film and fabricated details about his child sex trafficking activities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://americancrimejournal.com/the-arrest-of-earl-venton-buchanan/ |title=The Arrest of Earl Venton Buchanan |date=September 5, 2022 }}</ref> |
Revision as of 19:20, 11 July 2023
Sound of Freedom | |
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File:The Sound of Freedom Poster.jpg | |
Directed by | Alejandro Monteverde |
Written by |
|
Produced by | Eduardo Verastegui |
Starring | |
Cinematography |
|
Edited by | Brian Scofield |
Music by | Javier Navarrete |
Production company | Santa Fe Films |
Distributed by | Angel Studios |
Release date |
|
Running time | 131 minutes |
Country | United States |
Languages |
|
Budget | $14.5 million[1] |
Box office | $41.7 million[2][3] |
Sound of Freedom is a 2023 American action film directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, and stars Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp. Caviezel plays Tim Ballard, a former government agent who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia.[4] It is produced by Eduardo Verástegui, who also plays a role in the film.
The film was released on July 4, 2023, by Angel Studios, and was a box office success, grossing over $41 million worldwide.
Plot
In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Roberto, a poor father of two, is approached by a former beauty queen, Gisselle. Gisselle offers to sign his young children, Miguel and Rocío, to child modeling contracts. He accepts and takes them to the photoshoot. However, when he returns to pick his children up, they are gone. It is revealed that the children were sold to be used as sex slaves.
In Calexico, California, Tim Ballard is a Special Agent for the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), where he arrests people who possess and distribute child pornography. The painful work takes a great toll on his personal life, and this is only worsened when another agent, Chris, points out that they have arrested many child predators, but have failed to save even a single child from being exploited. Tim knows that this is because most of them are outside the U.S., but Chris's words stick with him. He speaks to a predator he arrested, Ernst Oshinsky, and pretends to be a pedophile himself. Once he gains Ohinsky's trust, he sets up a meeting with a trafficked child, and is able to arrest Earl Buchanan, the man who purchased the boy.
Tim rescues the boy, whose name is Miguel. Tim befriends the child and asks him for information that would help him find the other children. Tim learns that Miguel's sister Rocio is still missing, and the boy asks him to save her. Tim arranges for Miguel to return home to Roberto, but not before Miguel gives Tim his sister's Saint Timothy necklace. Tim starts looking for Rocío, and his search leads him to Cartagena, Colombia. He meets with former cartel accountant, Vampiro, who now works to save children from sex trafficking.
After reading about a child sex club in Thailand that was shut down, Tim decides that this is the perfect cover story to acquire a large number of Gisselle's children in a sting operation. Vampiro gets a Colombian police officer, Jorge, and a wealthy citizen named Paul to help with Tim's mission. Tim's HSI supervisor, Frost, is unable to provide funding for the operation, and asks him to return to the U.S. Tim resigns his position rather than abandon the search for Rocío.
However, Frost is able to persuade staff of the U.S. Embassy in Colombia to assist with Tim's rescue operation. Undercover, they convince Gisselle to sell them 54 children, successfully arrest all of the conspirators and free the children -- but Rocío is not among them.
After interrogating one of Gisselle's associates, Jorge learns that Rocío was sold to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, entrenched deep in the Amazon natural region. Jorge informs Tim that there is no way to retrieve the girl, because the region is largely unmapped jungle wilderness, and any rebel territory is a no-fly zone for the Colombian government. However, Vampiro suggests that doctors are allowed into the region for medical purposes, which gives Tim the idea to pose as doctors. Jorge reluctantly agrees to the risky operation. Tim and Vampiro attempt to enter enemy territory in disguise, but the rebels refuse to let both of them enter, leaving Tim to enter the area alone.
Tim gains access to the enemy camp where Rocío is being held and learns that she is being used as the personal sex slave for the rebel leader, El Alacrán ("the scorpion"), and along with others is required to mash coca leaves to produce cocaine which funds the rebel war against the Colombian government. Tim is forced to kill El Alacrán while freeing Rocio, but despite the rebels pursuing and firing on them, Tim brings Rocío to freedom. Before they part, he gives her back the necklace Miguel gave him earlier. Rocío is finally returned to her father and brother, and the family goes home to Honduras.
An epilogue reveals that Tim Ballard testified before the United States Congress and his testimony resulted in laws being passed that require the government to cooperate with foreign countries on sex trafficking investigations. The epilogue also states that there are more people enslaved today than in any other time in history, including when slavery was legal.
Cast
- Jim Caviezel as Tim Ballard
- Mira Sorvino as Katherine Ballard
- Bill Camp as Vampiro
- Eduardo Verástegui as Paul[5]
- Javier Godino as Jorge
- José Zúñiga as Roberto
- Kurt Fuller as Frost
- Gary Basaraba as Earl Buchanan
- Gerardo Taracena as El Alacrán
- Scott Haze as Chris
- Gustavo Sánchez Parra as El Calacas
- Yessica Borroto as Gisselle
- Kris Avedisian as Ernst Ohinsky
Production
Development
Sound of Freedom was inspired by the work of Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad, or O.U.R.,[6] an anti-trafficking activist. Work on the script began in 2015.[1] Ballard had personally requested that Jim Caviezel portray him because he was affected by Caviezel's role in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002).[7][8] Caviezel has stated that Sound of Freedom was the second most important film he has ever done, ranking behind his role as Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ (2004).[9][8]
The film's score is composed by Javier Navarrete.[10]
Filming
Principal photography began in the summer of 2018. The majority of the film was shot in Cartagena, Colombia.[11] Additional scenes were shot in Calexico, California,[12] including at the booth where Ballard worked as a DHS agent at the Calexico Port of Entry.[13]
Distribution
The film was completed in 2018 and a distribution deal was made with 20th Century Fox. However, that studio was purchased by the Walt Disney Company, which shelved the film. The filmmakers reportedly spent years trying to get the distribution rights back from Disney and take it to theaters.[14]
Verástegui approached Angel Studios with the release rights. Angel presented the film to an online group of 100,000 investors in its past projects called the Angel Guild, which gave it a "yes" vote within days.[1] In March 30, 2023, Variety reported that Angel Studios had acquired the worldwide distribution rights, with a planned release during the second half of 2023.[4] On May 12, it received a release date of July 4, 2023.[15]
Angel used equity crowdfunding to raise the funds needed to distribute and market the film. 7,000 people invested, allowing Angel to meet its $5 million goal in two weeks.[1] They also encouraged patrons to "pay it forward" to allow people who might not otherwise see the movie to watch it in theaters for free.[16] Goya Cares, an anti-human trafficking foundation established by Goya Foods, announced its support as executive producer for the release.[17] Actor and director Mel Gibson endorsed the film in a video.[1]
Controversies
Accuracy
Investigative journalists Lynn Packer and Damion Moore of American Crime Journal reported that Tim Ballard lied about his involvement in the case portrayed in the film and fabricated details about his child sex trafficking activities.[18]
Connections to the QAnon conspiracy theory
Both Ballard and star Caviezel subscribe to several conspiracy theories of the QAnon movement.[19][20]
Caviezel spoke at two QAnon conventions in 2021, endorsing the belief that child traffickers drain children's blood to obtain adrenochrome.[19] At one of those events, Caviezel mentioned that Ballard was supposed appear at the conference but was "saving victims of trafficking" who were victims of "adrenochroming", a practice whose existence is suggested by QAnon adherents.[21] Caviezel suggested he had seen evidence of children being subjected to the practice.[22] The event also included appearances by other QAnon promoters, such as L. Lin Wood[23] and Michael Flynn.[24]
Release
The film was released in 2,600 theaters on July 4, 2023.
Reception
Box office
On July 3, 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that the film sold $10 million in ticket pre-sales across 2,626 theaters, ahead of its domestic opening on July 4, 2023.[25] Originally, the film was projected to gross $11–15 million over its first week of release, with some estimates reaching $20 million.[26] The film grossed $14.2 million on its first day of release, $3.6 million on its second, and $3.5 million on its third, for a Tuesday—Thursday total of $21.3 million, raising six-day estimates to $36 million. It went on to make $18.2 million in its opening weekend (with a six day total of $40.2 million), finishing third at the box office.[27][28]
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10.[29] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on five critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an "A+" grade, which is the standard for faith-based titles.[26]
Variety's Owen Gleiberman gave the film a positive review, writing, "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."[31] Film Threat's Alan Ng also recommended the film: "Sound of Freedom is almost as if you're listening to Tim Ballard tell his incredible story of rescuing children and having it dramatized onscreen. It's heartfelt, informative, and inspiring."[32]
Rolling Stone's Miles Klee gave a more critical review, writing, "[Sound of Freedom] is a stomach-turning experience, fetishizing the torture of its child victims and lingering over lush preludes to their sexual abuse. At times I had the uncomfortable sense that I might be arrested myself just for sitting through it ... To know thousands of adults will absorb ... this vigilante fever dream, and come away thinking themselves better informed on a hidden civilizational crisis ... well, it's profoundly depressing. Worse still, they'll want to spread the word."[33] RogerEbert.com's Nick Allen was also negative: "Sound of Freedom is a solemn, drawn-out bore with a not particularly bold narrative stance—caring about the safety of children is roughly the easiest cause for any remotely decent human being... But while being so committed to such solemnity and suffering, the truncated storytelling by co-writers Monteverde and Rod Barr neglects to flesh out its ideas or characters or add any more intensity to Ballard's slow-slow-slow burn search for two kids in particular (Lucás Ávila's Miguel and Cristal Aparicio's Rocío) whose faces haunt him."[34]
References
- ^ a b c d e Jurgensen, John (July 2, 2023). "A Child-Trafficking Thriller Is Taking on Hollywood. Who's Behind It?". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Sound of Freedom (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "Sound of Freedom (2023) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ a b "Angel Studios Acquires Rights to Jim Caviezel Drama 'Sound of Freedom' Ahead of Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. March 30, 2023.
- ^ "Actuará al lado de Jim Caviezel" [Will act alongside Jim Caviezel] (in Spanish). Diario de Yucatán. November 1, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ Merlan, Anna; Marchman, Tim (June 10, 2021). "Operation Underground Railroad's Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart". Vice News. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Borchert, Brittany (September 12, 2018). "Jim Caviezel Plays Tim Ballard in "The Sound of Freedom"".
- ^ a b Toone, Trent (June 4, 2018). "Actor Jim Caviezel set to play second most important role in O.U.R. story 'The Sound of Freedom'". Deseret News.
- ^ "Jim Caviezel Stars in Hollywood Movie About Latter-Day Saint and Former CIA Agent Tim Ballard". LDS Living. September 10, 2018.
- ^ "Javier Navarrete Scoring Alejandro Monteverde's 'Sound of Freedom'".
- ^ "Cartagena: A gorgeous location for movie makers".
- ^ "Sound of Freedom" – via PressReader.
- ^ ‘Sound of Freedom’ Finally Makes it to Big Screen
- ^ Hamilton, Heather (May 12, 2023). "Sound of Freedom film highlights child trafficking crisis: 'God's children are not for sale'". Washington Examiner. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (May 12, 2023). "Jim Caviezel in Human Trafficking Thriller 'Sound of Freedom': Watch First Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ "Jim Caviezel: 'Sound of Freedom' is 'best film I've done since "The Passion of the Christ"'"
- ^ GOYA CARES SUPPORTS THE PRODUCTION AND RELEASE OF NEW MOVIE SOUND OF FREEDOM TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE CHILD TRAFFICKING EPIDEMIC
- ^ "The Arrest of Earl Venton Buchanan". September 5, 2022.
- ^ a b Scribner, Herb; Sommer, Will (July 7, 2023). "'Sound of Freedom' is a box office hit whose star embraces QAnon". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ Bramesco, Charles (July 6, 2023). "Sound of Freedom: the QAnon-adjacent thriller seducing America". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ Owen, Phil (April 17, 2021). "'Passion of the Christ' Star Jim Caviezel Pushes False QAnon Conspiracy at Right-Wing Conference (Video)". uk.movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ Citations:
- Hoffman, Jordan. "Jim Caviezel Decries "The Adrenochroming of Children," As If That's a Thing". Vanity Fair. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- "'Passion Of The Christ' actor thinks kids are being drained for blood". NME. April 19, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- "'Passion of the Christ' Star Jim Caviezel Pushes False QAnon Conspiracy at Right-Wing Conference (Video)". sg.style.yahoo.com. April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- Palma, Bethania (September 2, 2018), "The Roots of 'Pedophile Ring' Conspiracy Theories", Snopes, retrieved April 17, 2021
- ^ Roche, Darragh (April 17, 2021). "Lin Wood's QAnon gesture sends audience wild during Oklahoma conference". Newsweek. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (February 6, 2021). "Pushing QAnon and Stolen Election Lies, Flynn Re-emerges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 30, 2023). "Jim Caviezel Anti-Child-Trafficking Thriller 'Sound Of Freedom' Giving Indie Box Office A Pulse With $7M+ In Presales". Deadline.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 5, 2023). "'Sound Of Freedom' & 'Indiana Jones' Duke It Out On July 4th; Can 'Insidious: The Red Door' Upset No. 1 Next Weekend? – Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 9, 2023). "'Insidious: The Red Door' Slams On 'Indiana Jones' With $32M+ Opening – Sunday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ Alter, Ethan (July 6, 2023). "How the faith-based thriller 'Sound of Freedom' knocked out Indiana Jones at the box office". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Sound of Freedom". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ "Sound of Freedom". Metacritic. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Lang, Brent (July 3, 2023). "Sound of Freedom, Faith-Based Movie, Scores Impressive $10 Million in Presales". Variety. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Sound of Freedom Featured, Reviews Film Threat". July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ Klee, Miles (July 7, 2023). "Sound Of Freedom Is a Superhero Movie for Dads With Brainworms". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ Allen, Nick (July 7, 2023). "Sound of Freedom". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2023.