What’s It About
Forensic accountant Christian Wolff teams up with his estranged but highly lethal brother to track down mysterious assassins.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Nine years after the first movie, “The Accountant 2” is back with the same team but a new take on the story. Director Gavin O’Connor, writer Bill Dubuque, and most of the original cast are back, but the dark thriller has transformed into more of an action movie with some comedic elements. Ben Affleck is back as Christian Wolff, the autistic accountant who possesses amazing mathematical abilities and combat abilities any soldier would be proud of. This time, the story is broader, with more emphasis on secondary characters, including Treasury agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). The show starts off with violence as Raymond King (J.K. Simmons), Marybeth’s previous employer, is killed after encountering a strange woman named Anaïs (Daniella Pineda). Before he dies, Raymond leaves a message: “Find the Accountant.” This sets Marybeth on a mission to find Christian, whom she investigated in the first movie. Christian is still much the same. He continues to live in his RV, can’t make friends, and even tries speed dating (with disastrous consequences). We also get to see more of his support group during the film, such as Justine at Harbor Neuroscience, who talks in a robotic British accent, and a group of smart autistic kids who help with research and computer hacking. The biggest difference is that Christian’s brother Braxton, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, receives more screen time. They hardly had any scenes together in the first film, but in this one, they work together when they are trying to investigate Raymond’s murder and getting into perilous situations with human trafficking. The brothers are very different personality-wise – Christian is introverted and guarded, while Braxton is more sensitive and talkative – but both are lonely and looking for connection. This sequel is larger in every way. The action sequences are more violent and bloody, with amazing fights and shootouts. O’Connor understands how to stage violence in a coherent manner without making it disjointed. But with this move towards more action is a less complicated narrative. Instead of the complicated financial intrigue of the original, we have a more straightforward tale of corruption and human trafficking. One of the noticeable changes is the presentation of Christian’s autism. In the original, his divergent thinking played a critical role in the story and determined the manner in which he connected with others. Here, while still a facet of his character, the focus switches to how he is an excellent fighter. Affleck performs well, demonstrating that Christian is maturing a bit. He occasionally smiles now and even wishes to engage with other human beings, as when he line dances with a waitress in a honky-tonk. Marybeth’s expanded role is a plus for the movie. She is no longer relegated to a supporting role; she is now the primary point of view for the audience. Addai-Robinson infuses her character with depth – tough but human, resolute but adaptable. Her scenes with Christian and Braxton introduce major emotional components to the story. The humor comes as a nice surprise. It’s not a non-stop joke fest, yet it’s lighter in tone compared to the first. There’s some comedic value in the uneasy pairing of two professional assassins and a government agent. The villains are not so great, and the story gets muddled when too many elements are introduced (like an evil fishmonger, a murderous sniper, and a woman who gains supernatural abilities after a car crash), but the character interactions make it worthwhile. “The Accountant 2” may not live up to the expectations of fans who are looking for the same dark tone and profound story as the original film. As an action movie with compelling characters, though, it delivers entertainment. The dynamic between Affleck, Bernthal, and Addai-Robinson holds the film together, and it leaves open the possibility of a third film that could successfully balance character development and action. If you liked the first movie, this sequel presents you with a new but fun experience – it is less of a smart thriller and more of a friendly action movie with a heart. For Affleck, Christian Wolff is still a character worth returning to as long as people want to see more.
OUR RATING – AN AUTISTIC SEQUEL 8