Roger Ebert (AKA Patty) here with another movie review. No, not really, but I did see a moving and meaningful movie last night and I feel compelled to write about it.  It is currently showing here in Ocala at both the Epic and the Regal movie theaters. The movie is produced by Angel Studios which is a Christian based movie production company and well worth your time.  It can be disturbing at times and a tear jerker, but the message, in my opinion,  is one that we all need to hear.

Sound of Freedom is based on a true story of how Tim Ballard (played by Jim Caviezel) is a US Homeland Security agent.  In his work, he is faced with the insidious world of human sex trafficking and makes a decision, albeit disturbing and definitely life threatening, to get involved with rescuing children who have been kidnapped and forced into this hideous life.  He first is placed in a position to rescue a small boy who then pleads with him to save his sister as well.  In the meantime, he rescues multiple others in his pursuit of the sister’s release. There are many unsavory characters as one would imagine in such a movie, including a former cartel member who becomes a Christian prior to meeting Ballard and he too is involved in the pursuit of helping save these children. I won’t reveal any more about the plot in case you decide to attend the movie, but it is a well-made and poignant story and I would urge you to go see it.

When I came home after the movie last night, I decided to go online and find out more about the story.  I found out the movie had been made and was ready for distribution in 2018, but no one would pick it up. Critics were afraid of the Christian message, that it would not make enough money because no one would be interested in seeing it and how Tim Ballard had been portrayed as “too much of a hero” by exaggerating his rescue feats. Additionally, the story was based on his telling of it, so it couldn’t be fact checked.

 I was quite disturbed when I read this.  The movie was not made to promote Tim Ballard, but to shed light on an evil that exists in dark places and how children are taken in unprecedented numbers.  It exposes how children’s lives are destroyed to satisfy the greed and ugliness of real-life underground sex slave trade and how it needs to be stopped.  How could anyone agree that this topic is not important enough for people to be aware of and try to end?  Why would anyone want to stop the showing of this film?

Christian people who know of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness for us stepped forward and with their own love and concern for these children, worked to save them from their vile, soul crushing lives.  Their rescuers gave them hope as we are continually given hope in our own lives from a loving God when things are dreadful.  When asked why he decided to rescue these children, the former cartel member said “God’s children are not for sale”.  That message carried throughout the entire movie.  Those who rescued the children were lead and protected by the word and the hand of the Father as they carried out their missions.

I came away from the movie deeply disturbed for the lives of these innocent children, but also thankful for those who are willing to help rescue them. In Psalm 82:3-4 we read these words that are perfect for this message.  Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute; rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Thanks be to God for these brave and loving people who are willing to fight for those in need. God bless them and these precious children.

Patty