Sound of Freedom at The Light Cinema in Wisbech was superb despite all the ‘QAnon-sense’
FILM REVIEW: Sound Of Freedom (15) – seen at The Light, Wisbech
STARRING: Jim Caviezel, Bill Camp, Cristal Aparicio and Lucas Avila
DIRECTOR: Alejandro Monteverde RUN TIME: Two hours, 11 minutes
It was so pleasing to see The Light packed to the rafters when I visited with my son for National Cinema Day this Saturday.
And those who filled Screen Four to see this thrilling drama were treated to a great piece of cinema befitting of the special day.
Sound of Freedom, filmed in 2018 and based on the true story of a former US Government agent who embarks on a mission to rescue sex-trafficked children, nearly didn’t even reach the big screen.
Filmed five years ago for 20th Century Fox, it was shelved by Disney after it bought the studio but thankfully bought by an independent film-maker. After being released in the US in June, it is already one of the most successful independent films of all time.
It has unfortunately found itself linked with QAnon, the far-right American political conspiracy movement, a claim the director has strenuously denied. But if the publicity has meant more bums on seats for this super film, then some good has arisen from it.
The story centres around Honduran brother and sister Miguel and Rocio, who are stolen from their father by a fake modelling agency and shipped to different parts of the world.
But Special Agent Tim Ballard, sickened by the fact his work sees him catch perverts and traffickers but never save a single exploited child, does a deal with a paedophile which allows him to save Miguel.
When he realises Miguel has an older sister, 11-year-old Rocio, he takes on a dangerous mission deep into the lawless Columbia’s jungle to try to rescue her.
Jim Caviezel is convincing as Ballard, Bill Camp is absolutely superb as the former cartel member Vampiro who helps the agent in his quest and the youngsters Cristal Asparicio and Lucas Avila play their roles with maturity beyond their tender years.
Yes, the characters are slightly stereotyped with Ballard the blue-eyed, blond-haired American and the traffickers evil and sleazy – but we are talking child sex traffickers here. Surely the lowest of the low?
The film ends with some shocking statistics about that hideous trade printed across the big screen before an impassioned speech on the subject by Caviezel himself.
By Jeremy Ransome
Rating: 8/10
