‘Sound of Freedom’ is a recent movie that became a success in the USA but has been mired in controversy. The film starring American actor Jim Caviezel is a cinematic depiction based on the life of Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security operative who is on a mission to end child sex trafficking. After quitting his job as a Homeland Security agent, Tim Ballard founded an anti-human trafficking organization, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR).
The Alejandro Monteverde directorial draws attention to the prevalent menace of child sex trafficking and exploitation in the West. The fictionalized depiction of Tim Ballard’s work as an anti-child sex trafficking crusader revolves around Ballard (Jim Caviezel) setting out on a perilous expedition to rescue a girl from child traffickers. To save the young girl trapped in a Colombian jungle, he quits his work and risks his life.
In simple words, child sex trafficking can be described as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a minor for the purpose of a commercial sex act.
Sound of Freedom has been a target of criticism and scrutiny by the leftist media which has accused actor Jim Caviezel of having ties with the QAnon conspiracy theorists and claimed that the movie also is linked to the alleged ‘conspiracy theory’.
QAnon, Jim Caviezel and the Sound of Freedom
Before moving ahead, it is pertinent to understand what QAnon is and why is ‘controversial’. The word “QAnon” refers to an assortment of internet conspiracy theories that claim that a group of pedophiles who worship Satan run the United States. These include Democrat leaders US President Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, George Soros, and many Hollywood celebrities as well, as per QAnon. QAnon first appeared in October 2017
It asserts that Donald Trump was “recruited” to run for president by the US military, which is said to be eager to see the deep state overthrown. However, the deep state, which controls the media, soon attempted to discredit him by spreading fake news and baseless claims of his collusion with Russia.
“The Passion of the Christ” actor Jim Caviezel, appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast last month to promote “Sound of Freedom.”
In the podcast, Caviezel mentioned adrenochrome— a hormone that QAnon followers claim is harvested from young victims as a purported elixir for prolonging life. “Couple of years ago, I’m talking about adrenochrome, you can’t say that word,” Caviezel said.
Caviezel also talked about controversial billionaire George Soros saying that he owns companies like The Daily Beast—an American news website that had fun “tearing” him apart.
In the July 11 episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, Caviezel refuted the allegations of the film Sound of Freedom aligning with the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Apart from Caviezel, Tim Ballard has also dismissed the allegations of the film’s QAnon connection.”I can’t explain it and neither can they. Every show I’ve seen they just like to throw the word out QAnon, they make zero connection to the actual story,” Ballard said.
Left media lobby’s denial and dismissal of child sex trafficking issue
A significant section of the American media has been desperately trying to downplay the issue of child trafficking and sexual abuse. Rolling Stone, a prominent American monthly magazine in a recent article called child sex trafficking as a “grossly exaggerated epidemic”. Rolling Stone also called the movie a QAnon-tinged thriller.
The article also bemoans that raising awareness of the issue will divert attention from issues like “mass shootings, a lack of healthcare, and climate disasters,” while criticizing the movie’s “hackneyed white savior narrative.”
REVIEW: 'Sound of Freedom,' the QAnon-tinged thriller about child-trafficking, is designed to appeal to the conscience of a conspiracy-addled boomer. https://t.co/69NBNFZYVe
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) July 10, 2023
While the issue of mass shootings definitely is a major concern in the US, it does not mean that other issues like child trafficking should be sidelined.
By presenting similar dubious allegations about connections between the film’s makers and QAnon, CNN tried to deter viewers from watching Sound of Freedom. The CNN anchor insinuated that the film has the “kernel of truth that feeds the QAnon conspiracy.”
CNN encourages viewers not to see anti-pedophile movie Sound of Freedom. pic.twitter.com/wBTkLhWkbW
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 8, 2023
In response to the QAnon allegations made during the aforementioned CNN show, Tim Ballard stated in one of the CNN shows that “It’s embarrassing and simply grotesque for this guy who knows nothing to start throwing out terms like QAnon and connecting it to a real story.”
Tim Ballard shreds CNN for slandering Sound of Freedom as a "QAnon film."
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 10, 2023
"It’s embarrassing and simply grotesque for this guy who knows nothing to start throwing out terms like Qanon and connecting it to a real story." pic.twitter.com/d9WwhBc93y
The Eduardo Verastegui-produced thriller was dubbed a “paranoid” new film by The Guardian, which claimed that while conspiracy theories “scaremongering” about Jewish and transgender communities do not appear in the film, they “lurk in the shadows around a film outwardly non-insane enough to lure in the persuadable.”
“Money leads back to a more unsavory network of astroturfed boosterism among the far-right fringe, a constellation of paranoids now attempting to spin a cause célèbre out of a movie with vaguely simpatico leanings,” The Guardian piece read.
Apart from linking Sound of Freedom with QAnon, the leftist media has also been raising questions over the veracity of the work done by Operation Underground Railroad and Tim Ballard in battling child sex trafficking.
Whilst CBS News jumped on the “conspiracy theory” bandwagon in regards to Sound of Freedom, they had complimented Ballard’s efforts nine years earlier in a child-rescue mission remarkably similar to one of the scenes depicted in the film.
Taking to Twitter, one Melissa Tate pointed out that the same media which covered Ballard’s story of activism against child sex trafficking in 2014 now calls Sound of Freedom a ‘conspiracy theory’.
In 2014 CBS did a segment applauding Sound of Freedom ’s Tim Ballard’s work against child trafficking.
— Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) July 9, 2023
Almost 10 years later the same media is calling the film inspired by his work, “paranoid” “Qanon conspiracy Why? pic.twitter.com/I8Onud4sQ3
A Rolling Stone article citing anti-trafficking ‘experts’ asserts that Sound Of Freedom relied on dubious source materials insinuating that the film is far from true.
However, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) on its website has specifically mentioned which incidents depicted in the film are real and which ones are a result of creative liberties taken by the makers. OUR also elaborated on characters in the film that are real and the ones that are fictionalized.
A Rebel News report citing the moviegoers stated that there is a lack of coverage in the mainstream media regarding the child sex trafficking issue.
When asked about why the media is attacking the film Sound of Freedom, Tim Ballard said, “I cannot understand…the film was made, produced, written five-six years before anyone heard the name QAnon. I still don’t know what QAnon is, they are trying to connect it to a true story. These are real kids (victims) and it’s going to be weird when the media comes after them accusing them of being part of some conspiracy while they were rescued from a life of rape.
‘Leftist media does not want the issue of child sex trafficking discussed’
Ballard alleged that the media does not want to have a discussion on this burning issue of child sex trafficking. He also highlighted that over 85000 children are missing due to trafficking and illegal immigration over the past two years.
“These media outlets don’t want to have a discussion that this film is going to compel. A discussion about how 85000 children showed up unaccompanied at the border and sent into a country that is the highest consuming country for child exploitation material on the planet,” Ballard said.
He further slammed the media publications criticizing Sound Of Freedom saying that they are trying to normalize pedophilia by coining terms like “minor-attracted person” for pedophiles.
“This film is going to throw light on the atrocities happening to children so they are trying to discredit the film by lying about it,” Ballard added as he criticized policies sexualizing children.
Tim Ballard addresses why the media is attacking the film Sound of Freedom. pic.twitter.com/f5rpJUeCJf
— Will (@WillSaveTheKids) July 12, 2023
It is understandable why the Leftists appear antagonistic toward concerns about child trafficking.
The left apparently fails to comprehend the issue outside of their own ideological filters. Recently, California Assembly committee members, mostly Democrats and one Republican blocked a bill aiming to make child sex trafficking a “serious felony”. Senate Bill 14 if passed would have incurred the death penalty and life imprisonment for those convicted of child sex trafficking.
Moviegoers allege desperate attempts to hinder the screening of Sound of Freedom in theatres
Several videos have gone viral on social media, implying that people were being pushed out of watching Sound of Freedom at AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas venues in various ways, Newsweek reported. One TikTok user claimed that her theatre was evacuated without explanation, while another reported that the air conditioner in their showing was damaged, making it “unbearably hot.” The claims, however, were denied by AMC CEO Adam Aron.
Popular Twitter handle Libs of TikTok shared a video saying that “weird things are happening in theatres while trying to see the Sound of Freedom movie.”
In a TikTok video that has received over a million views, a woman named Stephanie Smith stated on Tuesday that she “just experienced a conspiracy theory in person for the first time ever” as she attempted to watch the film at a theatre (name not mentioned).
Multiple reports of weird things happening in theaters while trying to see the Sound of Freedom movie.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 13, 2023
Why do people not want this movie to be seen?? What’s going on?? pic.twitter.com/cUNZRmabCt
Smith claimed that “after about 15 minutes, someone came in and they turned the movie off.”
Despite the Leftist media’s attempts to dismiss the movie, it has been a great success
Despite the attempts at hindering the screening of the film, Sound of Freedom is witnessing tremendous success by minting over $50 million ever since its theatrical release on July 4. A major contributing factor to the film’s success is the “Pay it Forward” campaign run by the film’s distributor Angel Studios.
At the end of the film, a short video featuring Jim Caviezel is screened wherein the actor appealed to the audience to make sure the film reaches the masses as he says, “God’s children are not for sale”.
MILLIONS OF CHILDREN ARE TRAFFICKED EVERY YEAR YET HOLLYWOOD DESPERATELY TRIED TO BLOCK THIS FROM THEATERS! Jim Caviezel's Message From The End of Sound of Freedom is EXTREMELY POWERFUL. No Other Way You Can Spend the Next 2 Minutes is More Important Than This! pic.twitter.com/gOlVdpxGHS
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) July 13, 2023
Donald Trump to hold a screening of Sound of Freedom
Former President Donald Trump will attend a screening of the film Sound of Freedom at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club in the upcoming week. Trump will be accompanied at the screening by the film’s lead Jim Caviezel and producer Eduardo Verástegui and Tim Ballard, who inspired the film.
Verástegui was previously nominated to Donald Trump’s advisory panel on Hispanic prosperity in 2020, while Tim Ballard was invited to the White House in 2019 to discuss the significance of a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
Elon Musk backs Sound of Freedom
Twitter owner and CTO Elon Musk recently offered the film Sound of Freedom free promotion on Twitter.
“I recommend putting it on this platform for free for a brief period or just asking people to subscribe to support (we would not keep any funds),” Musk replied to the movie’s tweet on June 13.
I recommend putting it on this platform for free for a brief period or just asking people to subscribe to support (we would not keep any funds)
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 14, 2023
It is worth noting that Musk has prioritized eliminating child sexual exploitation content on the platform ever since he acquired Twitter last year.
The leftist media’s desperation in downplaying and demeaning a film raising awareness about child sex trafficking demonstrates not only their perverse mindset but also their intolerance for anything that contradicts their ideology and views.
