“Sound of Freedom” is a movie that places its message about child sex trafficking above its storytelling. Its primary aim is to raise awareness and generate concern about the horrors associated with this issue. The film achieves this by presenting unsettling sequences of children in danger, manipulated by repugnant adults, and ensuring their faces stay etched in our minds. The central character is Tim Ballard, an American man who exhibits unwavering compassion and sacrifices his career at Homeland Security just months before earning a pension. He embarks on an undercover mission in Colombia to rescue children. Jim Caviezel delivers a poignant and deeply committed performance, reminiscent of his portrayal of Jesus Christ in “The Passion of the Christ.”
Although the story is based on true events, it struggles to captivate the audience due to its heavy-handed approach. Director Alejandro Monteverde meets the basic expectations for a message-driven film, but falls short of fully realizing its ambitious cinematic potential. If “Sound of Freedom” were less preoccupied with its significance, it could transcend being a moody film and become a truly captivating cinematic experience.
On its own, “Sound of Freedom” is a somber and meandering journey, lacking a distinct narrative perspective. Caring for the safety of children is a cause that should resonate effortlessly with any decent human being. Previous films like “Gone Baby Gone” and “Taken” have effectively capitalized on this tension, effortlessly engaging audiences when children are abducted and thrust into danger. However, the truncated storytelling by co-writers Monteverde and Rod Barr fails to fully develop its ideas or characters, leaving Tim Ballard’s painstaking search for two specific children (Miguel, played by Lucás Ávila, and Rocío, played by Cristal Aparicio) devoid of the necessary intensity. The framing of the film as a “true story” initially adds an edge, but ultimately loses its impact. Visit fzmovies for more!