The Accountant 2 review

THE ACCOUNTANT 2: 

BEN AFFLECK TEAMS UP WITH JON BERNTHAL IN VERY ENJOYABLE SEQUEL! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

MGM AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Ben Affleck in The Accountant 2

 

            Ben Affleck (The Town, Argo, Gone Girl) returns as Christian Wolff in The Accountant 2, the I guess, much anticipated sequel to the 2016 action film, The Accountant. I reviewed the first movie back in 2016 and thought it was okay, it’s a mostly run of the mill action thriller with an interesting premise that didn’t quite deliver on its full potential though Ben Affleck’s turn as the titular accountant assassin who’s on the spectrum was extraordinary and honestly carried the entire movie. 

            Now we have the sequel released nearly a decade since the first once again directed by Gavin O’Connor (Miracle, Warrior, The Way Back) that seemed like it came out of nowhere (No joke, I wasn’t aware of this movie coming out until I saw a standee for it in a movie theater lobby a few months ago). I didn’t really have any expectations going into this movie not even after seeing trailers for it and revisiting the original film a couple days prior, but this movie surprised me. 

            The Accountant 2 is an action movie sequel that’s infinitely better than its predecessor as it plays on the strengths of the first while reducing or omitting its more awkward moments. It takes the scattershot and at times convoluted plot of the first and turns it into a buddy action film that pairs Affleck’s Christian Wolff up with Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, Baby Driver, The Punisher) reprising his role as his estranged brother, Brax which makes it a lot more entertaining and fun than the first. 

            After the FinCEN’s (A department in the Department of the Treasury) Director Raymond King (J.K. Simmons-The Cider House Rules, Spider-Man trilogy, Whiplash; reprising his role from the first) is murdered by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson-Spartacus, Arrow, Rings of Power; reprising her role from the first) enlists the help of accountant and assassin, Christian Wolff (Affleck) to solve Raymond’s murder. However, it turns out this puzzle is more complicated than Christian and Marybeth anticipated as they are forced to team up with Christian’s estranged but highly lethal brother, Brax (Bernthal) in order to piece together the puzzle while also catching the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive. 

            The film also stars Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World 2 and 3, Cowboy Bebop (2021), Plane) as Anaïs, Robert Morgan (Life (1996), Hacksaw Ridge, Babylon) as Burke, Grant Harvey (Animal Kingdom, The Crossing, Emancipation) as Cobb, and Andrew Howard (Revolver, Limitless, Tenet) as Batu. 

            Overall, The Accountant 2 fires on all cylinders from beginning to end resulting in a fun, intriguing, and even heartfelt buddy action film that guarantees a great time at the movies (Unless you’re streaming this on Prime Video and are just now reading this review). I can’t believe I’m praising a sequel to a movie I hadn’t thought about in nine years, but this really is the Fast Five, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and Bad Boys for Life of Accountant movies. 

            What makes the movie work is the dynamic between Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal, they have spectacular chemistry in this and most of the film’s fun comes from their banter and bickering which is very much like what brothers would do. Yes, it is fun seeing them shooting the bad guys and saving people, but I honestly would have been fine with a movie of just the two of them talking and annoying each other for two hours, that is how well they work together here. 

            Jon Bernthal especially brings his A-game to the movie as a character who I can best describe as a jokey, less angry Frank Castle (Ironic given that he plays Frank in The Punisher series and Daredevil), but still just as lethal as The Punisher. He perfectly offsets Affleck’s more restrained and calculated, Christian Wolff and technically the closest we’ll probably ever get to a Batman and Punisher crossover. 

            The action is good with lots of gunfire, stabbing, and bloody wounds complete with a full-on climactic shootout between Affleck and Bernthal and a bunch of Mexican traffickers, but ironically it’s nowhere near as entertaining as Affleck and Bernthal’s chemistry. Get a load of this, an action movie where the action is not the big highlight of the film. 

            Like the first film, the plot is pretty convoluted with various plot points and character motives that spontaneously appear as you’re trying to connect the dots and piece together the mystery. But it’s one of those movies where you just roll with it because amidst the convoluted storyline, you’re getting an enjoyable and action-packed ride with the charismatic duo of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal. 

            The Accountant 2 is an action movie sequel that greatly improves upon its predecessor by offering a fun, buddy movie with two very charming leads and enough intrigue to make it go beyond dumb, popcorn entertainment. Like Christian Wolff himself, The Accountant franchise is full of surprises and I’m intrigued to see where the series goes next.