A faith-based sequel that has more cliches than spirits.

I know I sound like a broken record, but the reason I didn’t review the Christian music biopic “I Can Only Imagine” back in 2018 was because of my cynicism of how faith-based dramas were treated in the movies. But I guess my faith in God has overpowered my cynicism, and I’ve been starting to appreciate them more. I think it’s that and the fact that filmmakers are more committed to telling spiritual stories than degrading them.

So to prepare myself for the upcoming sequel “I Can Only Imagine 2,” I went back and watched the original, and I was wrong to ignore it. Yes, it had its own cynicisms, but it also had some heartbreaking moments that really moved me. It told the story of Bart Millard (John Michael Finley), the leader of the Christian rock band MercyMe with the hit song “I Can Only Imagine,” and it also had Dennis Quaid playing his abusive and cynical father, who finally saw the light before he passed away.

Now, this sequel tries to win our hearts with its emotional weight about either losing loved ones or worrying about never seeing your own children grow up, but it ends up losing the notes that first movie provided. In fact, it has to enter familiar territory in a dull and cynical manner.

As the sequel begins, his hit song is winning awards and the hearts of millions, but he soon finds out that his little boy Sam (Jagger Amor) has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. A decade later, he and his wife Shannon (Sophie Skelton replacing Madeline Carroll) have a few more kids, but he’s still facing more demons in his life.

For one thing, Sam (Sammy Dell) has enter the teenage stage, when he is more focused on his music than his daily scheduled blood sugar test. He has to be one of those teenagers who have to make stupid decisions and barely prioritizes his situations. Another thing, records sales are down, and MercyMe (still with Trace Adkins as their manager Scott Brickell) needs another hit. And finally, despite his dead father (Dennis Quaid) finding redemption in the first movie, he still is haunted by his abusive words of cynicism (“Dreams don’t pay the bills.”). Is he going to screw up with Sam, considering his past? But his wife tells him he doesn’t have to be perfect.

Scott Brickell, MercyMe’s manager, suggests that Bart should take Sam on tour, as a chance to connect with and keep him safe. Meanwhile, Milo Ventimiglia plays another musician named Tim Timmons, who finally gets the opportunity to go on tour as the opening act for MercyMe, since two of their members are currently indisposed. He also grows a liking to Sam because of his ambitions and invites him to perform with him.

I’m told that the real Timmons had a terminal illness and was told he would have about 5 years to live, but that was a long time ago, as he’s still alive today. Ventimiglia is the best thing about “I Can Only Imagine 2,” because of how he brings the courage and emotions to the character and tries to be a supporting character to both Bart and Sam. But this father and son have to deal with one cliche after another.

This is based on a true story, but I’m told there are a few changes made in the screenplay by Brent Mccorkle, who also co-directs with Andrew Erwin. I don’t know the real singers in this franchise, so I can’t really compare and contrast their dramatization. I can say, however, that the first movie had sincerity and high spirits with the right uplifting music to help bring it all together. This sequel promises you some more uplifting songs and some emotional moments (a hospital scene when parents lose their child is very sad), but it doesn’t promise you it will stand on its own.