The Jim Caviezel Surprise Hit That Is Causing Controversy
Amid some controversy, Jim Caviezel’s new movie, Sound of Freedom, has become a surprise hit since its release on July 4. After just six days in theaters, the faith-based film about child sex trafficking amassed an astounding $40 million in ticket sales, securing third position at the domestic box office behind more mainstream offerings like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Insidious: The Red Door.
Jim Caviezel’s Sound of Freedom is a massive success at the box office, bringing in $40 million during premiere week despite its contentious topics.
Based on alleged true events, Sound of Freedom is directed by Alejandro Monteverde from a script he co-wrote with Rod Barr. The project, starring Jim Caviezel, was completed in 2018. However, its release was delayed due to the global pandemic. According to Rolling Stone, distributor Angel Studios eventually started crowdfunding to earn enough money to market the film.
Mel Gibson and Donations Boosted Sound of Freedom
Endorsed by Passion of the Christ director Mel Gibson, and thanks to donations from 7,000 people, the movie raked in $5 million in just two weeks. The story follows a fictionalized version of former government agent Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel), who embarks on a daring quest to free children from the clutches of sex traffickers in Columbia.
Although it might seem like every other movie “based on a true story,” the real-life events which inspire the tale have been called into question. The main character, Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel), devoted his career to pursuing sexual predators.
The man Jim Caviezel portrays served as a special agent for the Department of Homeland Security for 12 years, during which he worked undercover in units dedicated to combating human trafficking.
However, Ballard expressed frustration with the limitations imposed on him during his rescue operations. He also highlighted the lack of strategies and prosecutions against offenders in cases occurring outside the United States. So in 2013, he left the government agency and established Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), a nonprofit focused on rescuing trafficked children.
But a 2020 investigation by Vice World News highlighted a disconnect between the group’s actual achievements and its claimed successes. According to writer Anna Merlan Ballard, he repeatedly claimed that OUR played a pivotal role in a significant anti-trafficking case in New York State. He also insinuated that the nonprofit assisted in rescuing a victim involved in that particular case.
Although it might seem like every other movie “based on a true story,” the real-life events which inspire the tale have been called into question.
Aside from the factual inaccuracies, of which the above is just one example, the movie’s lead star is also seen as controversial. Jim Caviezel has gained prominence within the conspiracist right, delivering speeches and participating in interviews where he subtly alludes to an underground holy war between patriotic individuals and evildoers who harvest children’s blood.
The Jim Caviezel movie also aligns closely with the beliefs propagated by the QAnon conspiracy theories, right down to catchphrases like “The storm is upon us.” For those unfamiliar, QAnon emerged as a political conspiracy theory group in 2017, originating from discussions on 4chan by individuals associated with the far-right movement.
Some believe a clandestine group of individuals involved in Satanic rituals and cannibalistic practices freely operates a child sex trafficking ring. Additionally, the theory claims that this secretive cabal conspired against Donald Trump during his presidency.
Since the core of the Jim Caviezel movie hinges on these conspiracies being true, it can become a dangerous tool of persuasion.
