Yesterday, me and my wife watched the late night showing of the film, “The Sound of Freedom”, at our local cinema. In the article that follows, I give my reaction to what I saw and reflect on what I see to be the bigger picture concerning worldwide child trafficking.

According Wikipedia: “James Patrick Caviezel Jr.; born September 26, 1968) is an American actor. He played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ (2004), Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom (2023), and starred as John Reese on the CBS series Person of Interest (2011–2016). He played Slov in G.I. Jane (1997), Private Witt in The Thin Red Line (1998), Detective John Sullivan in Frequency (2000), Catch in Angel Eyes (2001), and Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). More recently, Caviezel has been a proponent of various Qanon conspiracy theories …” I became aware of Caviezel, who played the part of the hero of the story the film tells, when I watched another (imho) very important film: “The Passion of the Christ”. I was also aware of the association he has had with “conspiracy theories”.   

According Wikipedia: “Sound of Freedom is a 2023 American action film directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, and starring Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino and Bill Camp. Caviezel plays Tim Ballard, a former U.S. government agent who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia. It is produced by Eduardo Verástegui, who also plays a role in the film. The plot centers around Ballard’s Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-sex trafficking organization. The film was released on July 4, 2023, by Angel Studios. It was a sleeper hit, becoming one of the most successful independent films in history. It has grossed $182 million against a $14.5 million budget. It received mixed reviews from critics, while audience reception has been highly positive …” Given Wikipedia’s track record of being on the wrong side of the culture wars, I found their account of the film in the words that follow to be very helpful. It also saves me from having to write on what this film is all about.

I have been following the progress of this film for some time now and was pleased to learn how despite being held up by those whose interests were for it not to be released, and it being ridiculed by elements of mainstream media as representative of “fake news”, yet in the USA it has been doing very well and much better than many other newly released films that Hollywood etc. would rather the public take interest in. While disappointed at the relatively small attendance at last night’s showing, I am hopeful that the film will do well in the UK also. Entertaining and providing a feel-good factor the film failed to do, but that was not the intention. Adjectives I would use to summarise my experience watching the film are it was informative (and btw it had nothing to do with conspiracy theories, given it was about telling a true story) and harrowing. When at the end Jim Caviezel, as himself, gave a word of exhortation to watchers, he used words like “fear”, which in this culture many are fearful to touch on the subject of child trafficking, because it is something often banded around by “conspiracy theorists”, my own reaction was shame that I have done too little to expose and combat this evil.

I recall watching a few years back the film “Amazing Grace” (see here for a description), which recounts the story of the slavery abolitionist, William Wilberforce, and not just being moved but playing a small part in moves to combat instances of modern-day slavery, that are prevalent and takes many forms. As someone active in the area of homelessness, I was aware how vulnerable people can be trafficked as slaves. I appreciate the work of my friend, Dan Pratt, and the organisation he helps to run: Southend Against Modern Slavery (SAMS) Partnership, (see here for website).

As for child trafficking, it is widespread but because it is linked to numerous conspiracy theories and, for whatever reason, has been largely ignore by mainstream media, it is an issue many are barely aware off. It is interesting how a lot of went on Epstein Island is still clouded in mystery (including Epstein’s death) and revelations concerning Jimmy Saville has only come out after Saville’s death. I have little doubt one reason for this is the rich and powerful who are party to what went on in these are other cases that have been covered up have made sure this is the case. It is one good reason why “The Sound of Freedom”, while not for the faint hearted, is an important film and one I strongly recommend that people watch.

In order to prepare for writing this article, I decided to check out various sources to get necessary background on the whole subject of child trafficking and how it relates to what is going on. My view on world events differs from that of many, including wise and holy Christians, as detailed in my recent blogs: “Conspiracy theories, the truth and appropriate Christian responses” and “Bible prophecy and current events”. For example, Russia’s President Putin, that Christian’s I have a lot of time for have identified as the bad guy in the Ukraine conflict, has called out child trafficking, while Ukraine’s President Zelensky and his NATO backers have helped to promote it! Without detailing the content, I found the following videos (accessible on Bitchute) to be particularly helpful:

1. The Sound of Freedom The True Story of Child Trafficking with Mel k & Charlie Ward
2. Jim Caviezel full interview about Sound of Freedom and Tim Ballard
3. Sound Of Freedom DOMINATES Woke Hollywood HUGE Streaming Deal After Netflix, Amazon Turned It Do..
4. BREAKING Child Slavery and the Sound of Freedom
5. IN LIGHT OF THE BBC’S RECENT CRITICISM OF ‘THE SOUND OF FREEDOM’ WATCH THIS !

Not only do I believe that any form of child exploitation to be evil, mindful of Jesus words that were quoted in the film (see image below), as well as the repeated more than once statement that “God’s children are not for sale”, but just as in Old Testament times when child sacrifice was part of the often reoccurring Baal / Molech worship that the OT prophets denounced, it is a key element in the nefarious happenings in the world today, which will in due course be exposed. No doubt, different people will view the film differently. Besides being an eye opener to the evil of child trafficking, I hope the film will inspire modern day Wilberforces to confront this evil.