FILM REVIEW: Trafficked: A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Release date (DVD & VOD): January 26, 2021

At first, I didn't want to watch this movie. I knew it would make me feel uncomfortable, and I didn't want to feel that way. But, then, I thought, "What if promoting this video could help just one family become more aware of the horrors of human trafficking. What if it saves just one young person from becoming the slave of a demented panderer." After all, January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, in case you didn't know; and, so, I agreed to do this review. 

ABOUT THE FILM:

TRAFFICKED: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare is new feature-length drama directed by Joel Paul Reisig, and written by Reisig, George Sunders, and Scott Voshel. It is a "gritty" no-holds-barred story based on real-life events that have been experienced by too many families. It dramatically portrays how the lives of families are uprooted by the abduction and trafficking of a child. 

Bob Elder, President of Collide Media Group, shares this: "Awareness is the first step towards putting an end to these atrocities in our world. Trafficked is a heart-pounding feature film reminding us of how urgent this topic is and why we need to act now."

STORY LINE:

Allison Riley (Sophie Bolen) is a beautiful young girl with a bright future and a dream of becoming a veterinarian. On the eve of her 16th birthday, she sneaks out of her house to meet a handsome boy she met online, and then disappears. Her parents, Joanna (Kristy Swanson) and Case (Mark Boyd), contact the police who assume that Allison is just out with a boyfriend. The parents, then, reluctantly hire Private Investigator John Belton (Dean Cain) who has a reputation for making his own rules. Belton quickly discovers Allison had likely been trafficked by a handsome young man she met online, and that he’s on a race against time if the Rileys ever hope to see their daughter again. 

TRAILER:

 

MY THOUGHTS:

What this movie is NOT:  

• Not a "feel good" movie 
• Not really a faith based movie, aside from having a couple church/prayer scenes
• Not family friendly, meaning I would not recommend it for younger children

What it IS:

• Gritty (meaning it contains some graffic physical violence, mild language, drug use, and insinuating sexual scenes that would not be appropriate for younger children.)
• Informative about human trafficking, and the heartbreak it causes
• A movie that serves a specific purpose
• A good conversation starter among teen groups and families

This movie is not something I can say I "enjoyed" watching. But, I know its not really meant to be entertaining. It has a specific purpose, which is to cause awareness about the awfulness of human trafficking, and how a lot of teens get brought into it. It is devastating! And, not only to the teens who are stolen away, but also to the families. 

I recommend this movie for teenagers and their parents/guardians to watch together. It could produce a lot of questions, emotions, and conversations that parents should be a part of, if at all possible.

If it were up to me, I would have included more closure at the end of the movie. It was left open, and I felt like it needed to show more of the after-math. Perhaps this was intentional, to help spur on more conversation. Or, maybe they plan on making a second movie based around families who are recovering from situations like this. If so, I hope they also explain how faith in Christ can help victims and families be over-comers. 

 

GIVEAWAY:

I am able to give away a code to one e-mail address for a link to watch this movie in its entirety. If you are interested, please leave a comment on this blog post, or leave a comment (or a "like") under the post on our Facebook page: HE HOLDS MY RIGHT HAND MINISTRIES. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Central Time. A random drawing will be held and the winner notified shortly after. Open to North America only.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Trafficked: A Parent's Worst Nightmare

DISCLOSURE: Many thanks to Collide Distribution for providing this product/product information for review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

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