But why should we be surprised? Once again, God’s timing is sublime, as “Sound of Freedom” quickly became the number one movie in the US over the July 4th holiday.

In multiple interviews leading up to its opening in theaters, starring actor Jim Caviezel tells of roadblocks in getting the movie distributed, once it was finished. In the end, it was Angel Studios that backed ticket sales with a crowd-funding effort similar to that of “The Chosen.”

This provided a way for people to “pay it forward“—buying tickets for anyone who could not afford to, so all would be able to see “Sound of Freedom.”

The goal? Two million tickets sold. Why 2 million? Angel Studios answers: To symbolize our commitment to the 2 million trafficked children around the world.

At the time of this writing, they are very close to that goal, with over 1,400,000 tickets sold. (Screengrab image: via Angel Studios)

“Sound of Freedom” has been given very high ratings with an A+ CinemaScore, and at the Rotten Tomatoes movie review site: an 88 percent-tomatometer with a 100 percent audience score.

Even Hollywood’s “Variety” magazine has given the “Sound of Freedom” high marks, noting that: One of the purposes of a movie like “Sound of Freedom” is to sound the alarm, in the way that a dramatic feature film can do and that journalism often can’t. It takes us into the forbidden zone. It taps our primal emotion of empathetic terror …This is a genre thriller. That said, it’s an urgent and honest one, and Caviezel gives his most committed performance since “The Passion of the Christ.” He’s seasoned now, with the smoldering aura of a more sensitive Clint Eastwood. He knows how to underplay the rage and despair, and how to make the drama of going undercover into something life-size. 

But beyond an excellent performance by Caviezel and all its characters (the child actors did an amazing job!); Variety is correct in saying that the film “sounds the alarm”—it pulls back the curtain on the most atrocious of offenses—the sex-trafficking of innocent children.

During an interview, Caviezel tells how he had add-libbed a line of Scripture during filming, just before one of the perpetrators was to be arrested. It was Matthew 18:6: “If anyone causes one of these little ones … to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Such is the heart of God for His children.

Sometimes a simple movie can spark a movement. May this time be no different.

In a phone interview with The Daily Signal, Jordan Harmon, co-owner of Angel Studios remarked on the debut: “As exciting that it is to hit the number 1 spot for this summer opening, it doesn’t even come close to the excitement that the number means for awareness of this issue.

“The early projections had “Sound of Freedom” at $10 million for the whole week, to do $14-plus million on opening day is wild. We’re thrilled to death, there’s a lot to do and there’s awareness to be brought to this incredible cause.

“That number is a reflection of the lives that will be rescued from this darkness,” Harmon said.

Beyond being a highly successful film, I pray that the “Sound of Freedom” would be the catalyst that brings about the end of child slavery and sex trafficking. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Tim Ballard, the former Homeland Security agent who is depicted in the film, has been continuing his work of rescuing children from that horror for years, through his organization Operation Underground Railroad.

Click Here to visit the website to see how you can get involved and support these efforts. 

SOUND OF FREEDOM Earns #1 Movie in America Ranking on July 4th, Its Opening Day