The Accountant 2 review: Ben Affleck returns for fun sequel
Ben Affleck’s action thriller The Accountant may not be an obvious choice for a sequel, given the film came out nine years ago and was a modest but not runaway success. However, the film’s popularity on streaming has led to the former Batman getting another outing as autistic criminal accountant Christian Wolff.
Picking up years after the original film, Christian lives a solitary life and continues to struggle to adjust to a neurotypical world. He is called back into action by his former boss when an old friend is murdered. Teaming up with his estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal), his search for justice puts him in the cross hairs of dangerous criminals.
Filled with wince-inducing violence and frenetic action sequences, the film is a delight as long as you don’t think too hard about it. The plot is a very basic revenge thriller, which gets off to a slow start setting up the mission but gathers momentum as soon as the brothers are reunited. From there, everything moves at a swift pace, with the back and forth between no-nonsense Braxton and uptight Christian making for an enjoyable dynamic that makes the familiar plot beats less noticeable. It is at its heart an old-fashioned action movie where the good guys get the bad guys by any means necessary, but usually via the method of breaking someone’s bones.
Affleck’s portrayal of a man with Autism is in keeping with many Hollywood portrayals, which just balance any perceived social barriers with superhero-like intelligence. It’s not subtle, but there is at least an acknowledgement that Christian’s view of the world isn’t some kind of affliction, rather just a different way of seeing things. This is particularly evident in his interactions with a non-verbal computer hacker who uses a speech device to communicate, part of a system which Christian describes as being run by “my people”.
Still, it is a mannered performance that wouldn’t sustain the whole two hours, which is where Bernthal comes in. Introduced in a stylish fashion, the mixture of loose cannon violence and emotional instability is an effective counter to Affleck’s performance, as the film centres a clash of personalities rather than zeroing to in on Christian’s autism. Cynthia Addai-Robinson feels a bit lost as the treasury agent who brings the brothers in, essentially becoming redundant once the exposition has been delivered.
The Accountant 2 is unlikely to win any awards for originality or inclusion. However, the mix of two likeable actors in a scenario that delivers a satisfying pay off will make for an entertaining night at the movies.
The Accountant 2 is in cinemas from April 25