Ben Affleck may have left Batman behind, but he’s not done with the world of action-packed, larger-than-life characters. In The Accountant 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 2016 thriller, Affleck reprises his role as Christian Wolff, an autistic mathematical savant turned forensic accountant and elite assassin. The first film, written by Ozark co-creator Bill Dubuque, positioned Christian’s neurodivergence as both a gift and a burden, portraying him as a lethal force trained from childhood under the harsh tutelage of his military father. Though the original was a convoluted, forgettable action film, it quietly built a following, becoming the most-rented movie in the U.S. in 2017. Now, nearly a decade later, The Accountant 2 doubles down on its predecessor’s absurdity, delivering a bombastic mix of over-the-top action and convoluted crime drama.
A Sequel Embracing Its Own Ridiculousness
Unlike the self-serious tone of the original, The Accountant 2 leans into its outlandish premise, embracing what could best be described as “divorced dad camp.” The sequel reunites Dubuque with director Gavin O’Connor, amplifying every element that made the first film a cult favorite—loud shootouts, intricate crime plots, and highly skilled loners battling nefarious forces. While it lacks the presence of Anna Kendrick’s Dana, who played Christian’s former romantic interest and accounting accomplice, the sequel compensates with an even more tangled and explosive narrative.
Set eight years after the events of the first film, Christian has spent his time living off the grid, using his expertise in black-market finance while keeping a low profile. He continues to take assignments from his handler Justine (Allison Robertson), a nonverbal autistic savant based at the Harbor Neuroscience treatment center in New Hampshire. However, he is drawn back into action when former treasury agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) reaches out for help. What follows is a labyrinthine investigation involving organized crime, human trafficking, high-profile assassinations, and a mysterious killer known as Anaïs (Daniella Pineda). Despite its complex web of subplots, the film prioritizes spectacle over coherence, keeping the audience engaged with relentless action sequences.
A Brotherhood Reignited
One of the film’s strongest elements is Christian’s relationship with his estranged brother, Braxton (Jon Bernthal). The sequel capitalizes on their dynamic, offering moments of tension, humor, and camaraderie as two socially isolated, hyper-competent hitmen navigate their fractured bond. Bernthal, previously reserved in the first film, goes full throttle here, delivering a performance that oscillates between cocky swagger and raw vulnerability. Their interactions, marked by a blend of deadpan humor and reluctant affection, provide some of the film’s most compelling scenes.
Action-Packed and Absurdly Fun
While The Accountant treated Christian’s neurodivergence with an earnest—if occasionally misguided—lens, the sequel takes a looser approach, injecting humor into his quirks. Affleck’s portrayal remains somewhat stiff, relying on physical tics like avoiding eye contact to convey Christian’s social struggles. However, the script allows for lighter moments, such as his struggles with dating algorithms or his unexpectedly smooth dance skills. The action, meanwhile, is relentless. With explosions, gunfights, and hand-to-hand combat filling nearly every frame, The Accountant 2 delivers on adrenaline, even if its plot remains a tangled mess.
Notably, the film also introduces a hub of teenage autistic savants who use their unique abilities to crack complex cases and outmaneuver law enforcement. While the depiction may not be universally praised as progressive, the inclusion of autistic actors in these roles signals a step toward representation.
A Crowd-Pleasing, If Unremarkable, Sequel
Ultimately, The Accountant 2 is exactly what it sets out to be—an action-packed, logic-defying, guilty pleasure. It may not break new ground, but it succeeds in entertaining, offering a high-energy spectacle that plays well both on the big screen and at home. With enough thrills to satisfy fans of the original, this sequel proves that sometimes, all a movie needs is a dose of absurdity and a barrage of bullets to keep audiences coming back for more.
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