Despite a bevy of negative articles from mainstream media outlets like Rolling Stone and Bloomberg News, the anti-child-trafficking movie “Sound of Freedom” has generated $100 million at the box office since it made its debut several weeks ago.
The low-budget film featuring actor Jim Caviezel is based on the life of Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad, which is dedicated to rescuing kids from sex trafficking operations.
“‘Sound of Freedom’ has become the people’s movie,” Jared Geesey, with film distributor Angel Studios, told Variety. “This is the opposite of the top down system developed by Hollywood gatekeepers. We are empowering people to be part of choosing, funding, and sharing stories that amplify light and impact culture.”
At the same time, the film has generated very positive ratings among audience members, and film critics have also given it high marks. It’s received an A+ on CinemaScore and a 100 percent score on RottenTomatoes.
Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman said the film is a “compelling movie that shines an authentic light on one of the crucial criminal horrors of our time, one that Hollywood has mostly shied away from.”
However, “Sound of Freedom” isn’t without detractors, including two viral articles published by Rolling Stone and Bloomberg, respectively, in recent days. In a Rolling Stone article, the author, Miles Klee, claimed the movie “foment[s] moral panic for years over this grossly exaggerated ‘epidemic’ of child sex-trafficking, much of it funneling people into conspiracist rabbit holes and QAnon communities.”
Those articles drew a significant backlash on social media, with users accusing both publications of trying to whitewash pedophilia and child trafficking.
The film’s plot centers around Mr. Ballard on a mission to rescue children held by child traffickers in Colombia. The film’s director and producers say that it’s based on a true story.
Other Claims
There were also claims that AMC Theaters intentionally turned off the air conditioning during screenings of “Sound of Freedom,” allegations that were disputed by both AMC and Angel Studios this week.“AMC Theaters across the country have been turning off the AC in their theater rooms screening ‘The Sound of Freedom,’” said a Facebook post that went viral.
But Angel Studios released a statement saying such assertions are baseless.
Trump Response
Earlier this week, former President Donald Trump hosted Mr. Caviezel and Mr. Ballard for a screening of the film at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.Mr. Trump also remarked that “it’s been pretty crazy out there,” noting, “It’s a vicious world.”
“These are vicious people; these are very sick people—they’re deranged. We have a lot of them out who really don’t stand for what we stand for. But for some reason, the public understands it better than they’ve ever understood it before and are stepping up like I’ve never seen before,” he said.