When I watched the first “I Can Only Imagine” back in 2018, I never really thought about it getting a sequel, since it didn’t seem to need one. And while this movie tells a good enough story, I don’t think it adds that much in terms of the combined story. It is a simple but heartwarming film, but it doesn’t go much further than that.
“I Can Only Imagine 2” continues to follow the life of MercyMe lead singer, Bart Millard, 10 years after the release of their hit song, “I Can Only Imagine.” It focuses on his navigation of creative droughts, along with the struggles he experiences as a father. Millard decides to go on tour to try and recapture some of the magic he had before, and he also takes his son along with him in attempt to build connection. The movie follows them both as they navigate their relationship, in the context of Bart’s desire to overcome his past and treat his son better than his father treated him as a child. The movie is mostly successful in addressing this, but it feels kind of like a paint-by- number approach.
I wouldn’t say that the acting is something to write home about either. Everyone’s performance ranges from fine to pretty good, but there are not any real standouts in my opinion. You know what you’re getting into with a faith-based movie, and acting that will be nominated for awards isn’t usually involved. I do think the best actor is probably John Michael Finley, who plays the lead role of Bart Millard. He does have some pretty good scenes, but I think the direction of his acting could be stronger.
In terms of production value, again, there isn’t anything that really stands out to me. The licensed MercyMe songs are good, but other than that, I can’t distinctly remember any other music used in the film. Additionally, the cinematography left a lot to be desired, because several of shots felt pretty flat and almost lifeless for a movie like this. Jon Erwin directs it competently, but it feels very similar to the last couple of faith-based movies he also directed like “Jesus Revolution” and “The Jesus Music.”
The movie does succeed where it needs to in its emotional element though. While I have complaints and criticisms about the film on a production level, the script is tight and not dragging and does its job of getting you invested in the characters in the film once more. It builds up beautifully to the last song of the movie as MercyMe plays another song that would become a hit. Maybe that’s where my issue with the film lies, though; part of Bart’s arc is him trying to write another song and suffering from creative burnout, which I experience from time to time. But it seems that sometimes he’s more focused on trying to make this big hit, like he’s chasing the high of his song “I Can Only Imagine,” than on continuing to focus on God. That might be a character flaw, too, but it didn’t come across that way in the movie. This made it almost feel like the ambition to get rich by writing a new hit song is a noble one.
Overall, “I Can Only Imagine 2” is a heartwarming story that does its job, but not more than that. If you liked the first movie, you will enjoy this one just about as much. I don’t know if there is more story to tell, so there’s a chance for a third one down the line if this does well. But I don’t know if we really need that. I would recommend seeing this movie as it is quite fun at times, and the music is still pretty well done.
Three stars.
