Updated on October 14, 2026
An uncomfortable, gripping film about protecting the innocent and what it says about duty, courage, and the kind of men worth looking up to.
Image: Angel Studios.
Editor’s note:
I wrote this review in July 2023. Since then, Tim Ballard, the real-life inspiration for the film, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies, and several civil cases are ongoing. My thoughts below are about the film and its message, and I’ve left them as I first wrote them.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
At a glance
Film: Sound of Freedom (2023), Angel Studios
Starring: Jim Caviezel
Watch if you liked: The Covenant (2023)
My verdict: A resolute yes
My wife and I celebrated the Fourth of July in 2023 by watching the premiere of Angel Studios' Sound of Freedom. We did not regret it.
What Sound of Freedom Is About
Sound of Freedom follows the story of Tim Ballard, a Homeland Security agent whose cases revolve around human trafficking, specifically the online exploitation of children. Even though Ballard mentions to his partner that they have arrested dozens of offenders, they are both haunted by the victims still suffering whom they cannot help. Following a successful operation, Ballard obtains the information and means to rescue a little boy. After he is saved, the boy asks a question that will change Ballard's life and lead him down a road that requires sacrifice, courage, and much faith.
“Can you find my sister?”
Sound of Freedom is a film that immediately makes you feel uncomfortable, yet it is that same feeling that forces you to reflect on the horrors of human trafficking: the destruction of a child's innocence and the powerlessness families feel when their loved ones are taken from them.
A Hero Who Protects
As I watched the film and the difficult decisions its protagonist made, I couldn't help but think about what it means to be a man, and why it is essential for men to embrace the duties that stem from their nature.
The character fulfills the role of a protector, yet he also shows a conscious, healthy grasp of his emotions. I would argue that this mastery of emotions is a sign of maturity, and it is what guides him to resign from his job and dedicate himself to rescuing exploited children. When he asks himself and the people he recruits, "What if it were your daughter?", he shows he can put himself in the shoes of suffering families.
Jim Caviezel, known for his roles in The Passion of the Christ and The Count of Monte Cristo, leads the film.
Sound of Freedom and The Covenant
I enjoyed Sound of Freedom the way I enjoyed Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, also released in 2023. In The Covenant, a local interpreter risks his life to carry an injured U.S. servicemember across miles of grueling terrain. After learning the interpreter was left behind during the evacuation of Afghanistan, the sergeant returns alone to find the man who saved his life and give his family the safe passage they were promised.
These movies are about strong men with an even stronger sense of duty, honor, and moral integrity. (It's the same idea I wrote about in What Does It Mean to Be a Philosopher by Night?: truth, courage and community.)
Heroes vs. Antiheroes
Although I'm guilty of enjoying morally questionable characters in some action movies, the protagonists in Sound of Freedom and The Covenant are far from the antiheroes of John Wick or Deadpool. They are reminders of the importance of fulfilling our purpose and the responsibility we have to serve others with the abilities we're given. If you have the capability to protect, then you must fulfill your duty as a protector, whether of values, family, community, or all of the above.
Is Sound of Freedom a Christian Movie?
Many reviewers criticized the film, likely because they considered it a Christian movie. Still, the only two moments that explicitly point to God or Christian values are when a character says, "God's children are not for sale," and when another mentions that we should not hesitate to do what we are meant to do once we discover God's purpose for our lives. If the movie being produced by a Christian studio is a turnoff for you, don't let it be. You would miss out on a genuinely good story.
A $14.5 Million Underdog at the Box Office
When my wife and I went to see it, we had to sit at the 10 PM showing because every other showtime was sold out. The film was made for a reported $14.5 million and outperformed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in its early days, despite that film's nearly $300 million budget. Sound of Freedom went on to gross more than $250 million worldwide.
The Power of Storytelling
During the credits, Jim Caviezel gives a message about the power of storytelling. He says the most powerful people are storytellers, and I agree. Stories can inspire, but they can also reveal truths and change people's perspectives.
“What are you willing to do to protect the innocent from evil?”
Verdict: Should You Watch Sound of Freedom?
Sound of Freedom is a call to reevaluate our duties, beliefs and motivations, and it challenges viewers to act on their values despite the odds. God has a purpose for everyone; when we discover it, we must not hesitate to fulfill it.
Do I recommend watching Sound of Freedom? That is a resolute yes.
Meet the author
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, raised in a military family, and a former U.S. Marine. Pablo Camacho is the author of more than eight books in English and Spanish, including the Pencraft Award–winning Bittersweet, and is currently writing his first horror stories. He lives in Florida with his wife and daughter.