Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel), a federal agent, rescues a young boy from a child traffickers before learning that he has a sister who's still held in captivity by the traffickers. He quits his job and goes on a dangerous mission through the jungles of Colombia to rescue her.

      Based on a true story, the screenplay by writer/director Alejandro Gómez Monteverde and co-writer Rod Barr hooks the audience right away by diving head-first into the meaty of a story with an intense scene when child traffickers kidnap two young children from their father. Moteverde and Barr waste no time with any filler either. There are a few scenes with Tim and his wife, Katherine (Mira Sorvino), and children, which help to humanize Tim just enough to that you understand what's at stake for him when he goes on his mission to rescue the young girl in Colombia. The plot remains mostly focused on Tim's journey while occasionally shifting to the young girl's perceptive, althought it doesn't dwell too much on her suffering nor does it turn into a exhausting, excessively bloody action thriller like the recent God is a Bullet. Taken is also a film that treads the same water as this one, but the comparisons between the two only work very loosely. Sound of Freedom feels much more organic, gritty and moving than Taken without much comic relief or relying heavily on action sequences to keep the audience engaged. Instead, it engages the audience by allowing for them to empathize with its hero, Tim Ballard, and the child trafficking victims. What follows is a captivating and exhilarating journey that concurrently raises awareness of a vital human rights issue.

      Jim Caviezel gives a convincingly moving performance as Tim Ballard. He breathes life into the role while opening the window into Tim's heart, mind and soul which is a testament to his actong skills. You can feel Tim's compassion, determination, empathy and courage palpably while also grasping his emotional struggles as he puts his life on the line while leaving his family behind. He's a true hero and a decent human being which makes him a great role model. Decency is, after all, major strength and virtue. The terrific editing, music score and stylish cinematography are also worth mentioning because they makes the film feel more cinematic without letting the film's style get in the way of the its substance. At a running time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, Sound of Freedom is a triumph. It's a powerful, heartfelt and gripping thriller. It would be a great double feature with the documentary The Abolitionists.