Sound of Freedom: The Story Behind the Summer Blockbuster

You’ve probably seen this movie mentioned all over social media this last week or so, or you may have heard people discussing it. It’s quickly becoming the hit that Hollywood inexplicably didn’t want you to see, so much so that it was shelved for five years.
Now thanks to Christian entertainment company Angel Studios, Sound of Freedom has finally been released in movie theaters across the country, and it is now proving to be a box-office hit.
This inspiring movie tells the true story of Tim Ballard – portrayed by Jim Caviezel, who you might know from The Passion of the Christ – the former Homeland Security agent who steps down from his career and devotes his life to rescuing helpless children from a sex trafficking ring in Colombia.
Neal Harmon, CEO of Angel Studios, joined us on today’s Sekulow to share more about his company’s powerful film that is shining a light on the horrors of the international sex trafficking industry. According to Harmon, while superhero spectacles are fun to watch with popcorn, Angel Studios wants to use film to touch lives and put out stories of substance that actually matter to our culture and our world. Especially a film like Sound of Freedom, which portrays the story of a true superhero who, by the way, has no powers. He is just a man who can no longer stand by while atrocities are taking place against children.
It’s almost hard to believe this sort of critical, meaningful story is being shown on screen in 2023, given much of the content coming out of Hollywood. Just as the ACLJ listens to its members and focuses on the issues that are affecting your lives or matter most to you, one of the ways Angel Studios picks what projects to focus on is by looking at what their supporters, in this case, the audiences, actually want to see.
And the reaction from audiences, and even many critics, is that this was the right choice. Audiences are going out to see this film, and then telling others to see it, and in many cases, even buying tickets for other people to go. In fact, Angel Studios is actually offering free tickets to those who may be on the fence or unconvinced. That is such an anti-Hollywood business strategy, but that’s because clearly, their goal in making this film was not simply to make a big box-office hit like a Marvel movie or some other typical blockbuster. And yet it continues to track upwards.
Of course, there are cases where mainstream media outlets have been less than complimentary, some of which even seem to be strangely less bothered by sex traffickers victimizing innocent children than they are by films with morals and faith-based messages. It’s mind-boggling. Neal and Angel Studios are aware of these critics but have a very different perspective, seeing it as part of a much-needed cultural conversation:
“The reviews that come out against it rarely talk about the film. They’re usually talking about peripheral things; they’re talking about political things. Now they’re even going so far as talking about conspiracies. But the people that just watch the film and critique the film for the film’s sake, this film is touching people. It is moving people. It is creating conversation. There’s impromptu standing ovations. Multiple times in the credits, there are people who are hugging each other, who are complete strangers, after watching this film. It taps into something that our culture needs so desperately, which is to unite around something as important as our children. And that’s the reason that I think it’s launched a cultural conversation that we just haven’t seen in a decade. ”
Angel Studios is also responsible for the wildly popular series about the life of Jesus called The Chosen, which seems to have created a cultural conversation as well. We have no stake in this movie whatsoever, except that many of us here have seen the film and were completely blown away. It’s truly important that all of you go see Sound of Freedom. It will change your life and will move you to action.
Today’s full Sekulow broadcast includes more conversation about Sound of Freedom with Neal Harmon of Angel Studios. We’re also joined by ACLJ Senior Advisor and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell to discuss the possible future of Ukraine in NATO.