Sound of Freedom

This film opened in theaters over the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the US. Though I have swapped film reviews for story writing, the message behind the film motivated me to share.

The film opens with a young girl, sitting on her bed in her bedroom singing, a hobby most eleven-year olds enjoy. Her father is in the living room, listening to the melodious voice of his daughter, when there is a knock on the door. He opens to the beautiful smiling face of a tanned skinned model. She expresses how much talent Lucille, the singing girl, possesses and how successful she can become as a model. She asks if the father is willing to permit Lucille to participate in a modeling program, provided she passes the auditions. The father agrees and brings not only his daughter, but also his son. Once he arrives, he is instructed to leave the children with the model overnight. He bids farewell and returns home. The following morning, he goes to pick up his child and discovers the beginning of any parent’s worse nightmare: the children have been kidnapped.

One can figure out where the rest of the story will proceed. Fortunately, Tim (Jim Caviezel), a federal agent, rescues Miguel (Lucille’s brother) from a sex-trafficker. Miguel shares to Tim about his sister and requests that Tim saves her too. It is through his faith, and conversation with his wife, he chose to accept the request to save Lucille. The quest requires Tim traveling to South America and entering into dangerous territory, literally putting his life in jeopardy.

There is a powerful message from the film to bring awareness to a topic most people are afraid or ashamed to talk about: sex trafficking. Child pornography is a billion-dollar business that is extremely difficult to end. Unlike drugs, which have a limited use to them, a child can be used multiple times in one day for five to ten years. While there are many people captured and prosecuted for their involvement in child pornography, there are few children who are rescued from the enslavement (a point made by Jim Caviezel’s character). Additionally, most people are willing to discuss drug problems, but bringing up sex trafficking is a difficult topic for discussion.

This underground industry has quickly risen to success because it is easy it is to obtain child pornography off the internet. Truthfully, human trafficking has become the modern form of slavery. Most people may be aware of many women from underdeveloped countries (as well as our domestic challenges), whom have become victims of the sex trade. However, many are unaware of the children (both male and female). Children move through the ring rapidly and through many borders unnoticed because they lack the voice to speak out for themselves, once they are kidnapped. Since US federal agents were restricted from conducting any investigations beyond the US border, the United States has become the leader in supporting this illegal obsession, as the film points out. Recently, the United States expanded it law enforcement services internationally to aid in preventing human trafficking.

Jim Caviezel is very passionate about the message behind the film, which is the reason for starring in it. He also added a special message to all film goers at the end to address the child trafficking issue, which is the reason for me writing this short review. I want to encourage everyone to watch the film and bring awareness to a dark side of humanity. As an educator, it is disturbing to hear about people who prey on the young to satisfy their lustful desires. Additionally, the more people to realize this modern form of slavery may help put an end to it as well, even if it is beyond American borders. It still affects the US because of the American consumers for child pornography.

I want to encourage more people to either watch the film, or educate yourself on this silent dilemma. Through our collective voices we can help to free not only adults, but also children from slavery.