“Sound of Freedom,” a thrilling film starring Jim Caviezel as a federal agent combating child traffickers, may not be the blockbuster of the summer box office. However, it stands as a remarkable and unexpected success in its own right.
Distributed by Angel Studios, known for the popular streaming series “The Chosen” about the life of Jesus, “Sound of Freedom” emerged as the third most-watched film in North America last weekend. With a weekend gross of $19.7 million, it trailed only behind the horror film “Insidious: The Red Door” and the second-weekend box office hit “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
Based on a true story, Caviezel portrays Tim Ballard, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent who dedicated his career to investigating pedophiles. Ballard later founded Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-trafficking group, and became an influential figure in the fight against human trafficking.
While some critics argue that “Sound of Freedom” appeals to the QAnon movement, which promotes a baseless conspiracy theory accusing progressive elites of pedophilia, Neal Harmon, CEO of Angel Studios, dismisses such claims. Harmon firmly states that the film is not about conspiracy theories or politics, emphasizing its true focus on the issue of child trafficking.
Jim Caviezel, known for his role as Jesus in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” alluded to QAnon during the promotion of “Sound of Freedom” on Stephen K. Bannon’s podcast. His remarks mentioning “a big storm coming” and “adrenochrome,” a substance falsely claimed to be harvested from child victims by QAnon adherents, further fueled speculation. However, Caviezel’s representative and Operation Underground Railroad declined to comment on the matter.
Unlike other faith-based projects by Angel Studios, such as “The Chosen” and “His Only Son,” which focus on biblical narratives, “Sound of Freedom” represents the latest success story of the entertainment industry catering to an often overlooked audience. Despite being independently produced for $14.5 million, the film has grossed over $41 million domestically since its release on July 4th, with Sunday’s earnings surpassing Saturday’s, an unusual occurrence. Angel Studios’ unconventional “Pay It Forward” program, allowing supporters to purchase tickets online for those who may not have a chance to watch the film otherwise, likely contributed to its success. Additionally, its political nature has turned it into a contentious topic, with the right championing it while left-wing critics vehemently oppose it.
Provo-based Angel Studios relies on crowdfunding to boost its projects, and for “Sound of Freedom,” over 7,000 “angel investors” raised $5 million in exchange for revenue-sharing to aid in its marketing.
Jared Geesey, Angel’s Senior Vice President of Global Distribution, asserts that the traditional Hollywood gatekeeper model does not prioritize the content that audiences truly desire. He believes that Angel’s approach of creating content that resonates with its intended viewers is a more effective and successful strategy.
“Sound of Freedom” boasts a Mexican production team with producer Eduardo Verástegui and director/co-writer Alejandro Gómez Monteverde hailing from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Most of the film’s financing came from Mexican backers, and it was filmed in 2018. Initially distributed by Fox Latin America, the film was dropped after Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Angel Studios later picked it up, positioning itself as a values-based studio.
Despite the polarization surrounding the film, with both Verástegui and Caviezel promoting it on Bannon’s podcast, Verástegui hopes that political differences can be set aside in favor of the movie’s anti-trafficking message.
“Sound of Freedom” runs a little over two hours and does not explicitly mention specific QAnon beliefs. While following many typical action-movie tropes, it depicts trafficking and related issues like child sexual abuse imagery in a harsh and alarming manner, highlighting the involvement of international elites. Noteworthy performances by actors Bill Camp and Mira Sorvino, who plays Ballard’s wife, add depth to the film.
In a closing address to the audience during the credits, Jim Caviezel expresses the filmmakers’ hope that “Sound of Freedom” will serve as the 21st-century equivalent of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in the fight against slavery. He firmly believes that the film holds the power to make significant strides towards ending child trafficking.
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