A

Sound of Freedom (2023)

Thu May 29 2025

**The Story:**
The film begins in Honduras with a young girl happily singing in her bedroom, catching the eye of a talent scout who convinces her father that she might have the natural talent to become a star. Her little brother is equally charming, and with the right training, both have potential in the entertainment world.

The father receives instructions for an annual audition and drops the kids off at a business suite that also serves as a studio. No stage parents are allowed inside, so he must return later to pick them up. However, when he comes back at the scheduled time, the building is deserted—there’s no sign of his children or the talent agency.

The scene then shifts to Tim Ballard, a Homeland Security agent focused on dismantling child trafficking and exploitation rings. After completing their latest raid, Ballard and a colleague reflect on their work—while they’re effective at arresting predators, what about the victims? Are they really doing the full job?

This question deeply impacts Ballard and drives him to take actions he wouldn’t have considered before.

**Summary:**
This film was a surprising box office hit, earning over \$184 million domestically on a modest \$14.5 million budget, plus \$63 million internationally—a remarkable return. Based loosely on a true story about child trafficking, the movie avoids being preachy or exploitative.

Director Alejandro Monteverde handles the sensitive subject with touching humanity, delivering chilling moments. Jim Caviezel portrays Tim Ballard as a stoic agent whose resolve deepens as he confronts the case. The supporting cast, especially the child actors, effectively convey innocence, making the story’s darker elements more impactful without showing explicit violence.

The film has a clear message about the scale and brutality of human trafficking but avoids heavy-handed political or religious messaging, with faith elements subtly woven in. The story’s primary focus is raising awareness about this grave issue.

The only criticism is that the third act feels rushed, likely due to runtime constraints, and could have benefited from deeper development.

**Video:**
The on-location shooting truly stands out in this film, showcasing vibrant natural colors and strong contrast throughout. The Blu-ray presentation looks excellent, and there’s a strong argument for a 4K release, as certain scenes would greatly benefit from HDR enhancement.

Subtitles are provided for some characters’ native language and environmental text. If you’re watching on a widescreen (scope) display, take a moment to adjust the subtitle positioning if your player allows it—you’ll want to move them up by a full line to avoid cutting off parts of the dialogue. While this works well for spoken lines, there’s at least one scene with subtitles at the top of the screen translating signage on a building. This isn’t critical, as the scene’s meaning remains clear and the translated words are simple—“Tires” and “Notary.”

**Audio:**
The disc features a straightforward 5.1 Dolby mix. While it doesn’t offer extensive spatial detailing, there are occasional environmental effects that enhance immersion. Dialogue remains sharp and easily understandable throughout. The musical score includes stirring orchestral pieces and a haunting children’s chorus that adds emotional weight and fills the room nicely. A few scenes will give your subwoofer a brief workout, but overall, this is a solid, serviceable mix—more functional than exceptional.

**Special Features:**
Unfortunately, there are none—zero extras included. Not even a director’s commentary. It’s a missed opportunity, especially given the film’s subject matter and the interest it’s likely to generate. Considering the movie incorporates real surveillance and raid footage, it would have made perfect sense to offer a behind-the-scenes feature, documentary, or even a discussion segment to deepen understanding. Sadly, the disc offers nothing in that regard—a real letdown for viewers looking to learn more.

**Final Verdict:**
While marketed as an action film centered on child trafficking, this isn’t your typical adrenaline-fueled thriller. Instead, the focus lies in character development, strategic planning, and emotional stakes—more akin to *The Infiltrator* or *American Hustle* than *Rambo* or *Commando*.

Despite its modest budget, the film boasts impressive production quality. You’d be hard-pressed to guess it was made on a fraction of the cost of most modern blockbusters.

The result is a powerful, emotionally resonant film that steers clear of exploitation while shining a light on a dark and often ignored facet of humanity. It’s not always easy to watch, but it’s compelling, well-crafted, and deeply affecting.

This is one I’ll be adding to our home collection. While I don’t feel the immediate urge to rewatch it, I know I’ll return to it—and my wife rated it even higher. If you're hesitant to purchase it sight unseen, it's scheduled to be available on Amazon Prime starting December 26, 2023.

**Highly recommended.**

**Fun Fact:**
Originally developed by 21st Century Fox, the film was shelved following the studio’s acquisition by Disney. In an ironic twist, it ultimately outperformed Disney’s significantly more expensive *Indiana Jones* installment at the domestic box office.