Jim Caviezel was more popular than Indiana Jones at the nation’s movie theaters on July 4.
His new film “Sound of Freedom” grossed $14 million in box-office sales on the holiday. The faith-based film about a former Homeland Security agent who embarks on a journey to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers is now the No. 1 movie in America. Film critics are predicting that the movie could reach $20 million in gross sales by the end of the week.
The film, co-written and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, cost $14.5 million to make according to the Wall Street Journal. By today’s standards, this is a “pittance compared to the massive budgets assigned to your regular summer blockbusters that are often north of $100 million,” Newsweek magazine reported.
“From the very beginning, this movie had me choked up, tugging at my heartstrings,” one reviewer wrote. “It effortlessly keeps you on the edge of your seat, igniting a fire of determination to see the bad guys brought to justice and the innocent children saved. I cannot recommend it enough –Jim Caviezel’s performance is truly awe-inspiring. You can feel the passion and dedication he poured into this role, leaving a lasting impression on your soul.”
The movie is the latest release from Angel Studios.
“Thanks to fans around the country, ‘Sound of Freedom’ earned the top spot as America’s number one movie on Independence Day,” said Neal Harmon, the company’s CEO.
“We’ve received numerous messages telling us theaters are either packed or sold out. This movie has now taken on a life of its own to become something more than that, a grassroots movement.”
Filmmaker Eduardo Verastegui told the EWTN cable news outlet that there’s a life-or-death message in the film in that the purpose is to raise awareness about the 2 million children exploited every year in the international sex-trafficking trade.
Supporters say it is no surprise the new film is resonating with audiences, because the family-friendly, moviemaking powerhouse is behind “The Chosen,” the most successful crowdfunded project of all time. That multi-season TV series about the life of Christ has become a smash hit that has been streamed more than 500 million times and has now been seen by more than 108 million people since the first season
“Sound of Freedom” topped $10 million in presales and has received an 85 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s better than most big Hollywood movies.
“That’s an impressive number for a movie that isn’t relying on a glossy big studio marketing campaign,” “Variety” reported. “It’s also another sign of the buying power of religious moviegoers, who helped propel this spring’s ‘Jesus Revolution’ to an improbable $53 million at the global box despite the fact that the biggest star in that movie was Kelsey Grammar.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice