“I Can Only Imagine 2” An Inspiring Follow-Up To the 2018 Film
- Matt Palmer
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
After the breakout success of the song “I Can Only Imagine,” MercyMe’s Bart Millard is living the dream - sold out arenas, a devoted fanbase, and a thriving career. But Bart’s world begins to shift under the weight of devastating challenges, including a life-changing diagnosis for his young son, Sam.
As Bart struggles to hold his family together, his wife Shannon becomes the steady anchor - caring for Sam, supporting Bart and holding on to hope when it feels far away.
When Sam and newcomer Tim Timmons join the band for their biggest tour yet, Bart must navigate the demands of fatherhood and the pressures of fame, all while helping his son find the courage to sing his own song.
I remember checking out the 2018 original film “I Can Only Imagine” awhile back and, just like about everyone who has seen it, I was really moved by it. It ended up being a deeply moving, inspiring story of faith, redemption, and forgiveness. Now, while the first film’s story ended really nicely, I did end up being a little curious to see how a potential sequel could add to the story.
Not surprisingly, the filmmakers and MercyMe singer Bart Millard were able to craft a story for this follow up that is almost just as moving and inspiring as the 2018 original. I’ll admit there are a couple moments here and there towards the middle of the film that can slow the pace down just a little bit, but that’s definitely not going to ruin the inspirational story that you’ll see unfold on the screen.
The follow up, “I Can Only Imagine 2,” is a heartfelt, inspiring and very emotional film. Now, while there are quite a few little subplots going on in this story, it’s still a powerful continuation of Bart Millard’s story.
Similar to the 2018 film, “I Can Only Imagine 2” delivers another father-son storyline that can actually be a little more compelling than the previous film. This storyline is deeply emotional and is a raw, realistic portrayal of redemption, forgiveness and the struggles of parenting. The father-son story, which shifts focus to Bart Millard as an overwhelmed father facing his own son’s health crisis, is extremely moving at times and, I’ll admit, can also be a tear-jerker.
The music featured in this follow up is just as good as the first film, featuring more
heartfelt songs by MercyMe alongside a few re-imagined tracks. The soundtrack to this film is a central, moving element that also mirrors Millard’s journey and even includes a pivotal story about the creation of their hit song “Even If.”
“I Can Only Imagine 2” centers on themes of balancing grief with gratitude and navigating faith amidst success. Following Millard’s life after his father’s reconciliation, the film also dives into the challenges of touring, family tensions and personal struggles like his son’s diabetes diagnosis. While the first film was about forgiveness, this sequel focuses on the lasting complex impact of past trauma and the ongoing need of redemption.
The sequel is a successful, heartfelt follow up for fans of the first film and the band MercyMe. And even though it’s not as compelling as the 2018 faith-based story, “I Can Only Imagine 2” is still a worthy story to check out on the screen!
Cast: John Michael Finley (Bart Millard); Milo Ventimiglia (Tim Timmons); Sophie Skelton (Shannon Street Millard); Arielle Kebbel (Hilary Timmons); Trace Adkins (Scott Brickell) (Sammy Dell (Sam Millard); Ezra Proch (Robbie Shaffer); Mark Furze (Nathan Cochran).
Writer/director: Brent McCorkle (writer/co-director) (I Can Only Imagine; Jesus Revolution); Andrew Erwin (director) (The Jesus Music; American Underdog; I Still Believe)
MPA: Rated PG for thematic material and some language (runtime 110 minutes)
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