For a movie that is packing audiences in for each showing , the sound of gnashing teeth from mainstream movie critics is voluminous
Sound of Freedom packs a gut punch regarding the evil of child trafficking.
Not exactly the mindless popcorn faire of your average summer blockbuster , but in a year of flops from the major studios, this independent studio movie is a bona-fide hit. The film is gripping, sad and sometimes,horrifying, but delivers a powerful message of hope.
Yet mainstream critics are, in unison, dissing the film as right-wing conspiracy fodder. Take a look of some of the headlines I found.
” Christian thriller ‘Sound of Freedom’ faces criticism for stoking conspiracy theories” said one NPR headline. The Guardian’s breathless headline? “Sound of Freedom: the QAnon-adjacent thriller seducing America.” But my favorite is this doozy from Rolling Stone (drum roll): “‘Sound Of Freedom’ Is a Superhero Movie for Dads With Brainworms.”
Nearly every column I researched featured the right wing buzzwords “QAnon”and “conspiracy ” in attempts to denigrate the film and discourage people from seeing it. Spotting the same terms in different mainstream criticisms is either a remarkable coincidence or the sign of an organized campaign.
The good news is it’s not working. I saw the Sound of Freedom during a Sunday Matinee and the theater was packed. I managed to snag one of the last two remaining seats.
People are seeing this movie because it’s a powerful film that shines a light on very real and contemporary evil. Director Alejandro Monteverde masterfully handled the disturbing scenes of abuse without graphic depiction , but allowing your mind to fill in the rest of what’s implied.
Skillfully woven in the subject is the inspiring heroism of former federal agent, Tim Ballard whose Christian faith leads him to do more than he ever thought possible. This is summed up in two powerful lines uttered in the film, “God’s children are not for sale,” and ” When God tells you what to do, you cannot hesitate.”
When remembering these quotes, it no wonder critics are antagonistic. Mentioning God in a glorifying manner, in a popular movie, almost always causes the sound of gnashing from the left.
How these critics could attempt to deter people from experiencing this film, speaks volumes about the fake and compromised media and Hollywood. I believe this vitriol stems from one of four reasons. 1)These critics are either so blinded by their politics that anything Christian or conservative is automatically viewed as sinister; 2)They’re following orders from higher ups (in either Hollywood or government) to bash the movie; 3) They have no problem with the subject because it hits too close to home or the industry; 4) It’s a combination of the previous three explanations.
Where are the stars doing their tick-tock or Twitter videos supporting this film and bringing awareness like they did with “Times-up/Me Too” or Covid?
Oh, that’s right, there’s a writers’ and actors’ strike. It’s likely even if those events weren’t happening we would still hear crickets, or perhaps more sounds of gnashing.
An interesting fact is this movie was actually completed five years ago. God’s timing is amazing when one considers the movie’s release amid the revelations of government corruption. As written in my last piece, I believe God is revealing the level of evil we face so that we can see that only He can fight this battle. He does so, partly through us, when we are obedient in faith.
In the post credits , actor Jim Caviezel remarks of the filmmakers’ hope that this movie would have the power of Uncle Tom’s Cabin which sparked the beginning of the end of slavery. May this film have an equal impact, marking the beginning of the end of human trafficking.
In another era, such an underdog of a movie would be the stuff of Hollywood legend. Just shows how much times have changed.