The Accountant 2 review: Dumb fun that doesn’t quite add up

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Does puzzles appeal to you, Mr. Wolff?” asks Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai- Robinson) in this follow-up to the 2016 thriller The Accountant. Once again, Ben Affleck steps into the role of Wolff, a man with autism who’s skilled in number-crunching and self-defense, trained by the mob.

However, the real enigma arises not only from the question of why a sequel was produced when the original seemed unnecessary, but also from the mystery of why Wolff assists Medina. This becomes particularly intriguing considering she enlists his aid to investigate the murder of her previous superior – a murder that occurred during the film’s opening scene.

Wolff replied, “I’m getting involved because you asked me,” when questioned about his decision to take on such a risky case. However, it doesn’t seem very convincing given the circumstances. The fact that Medina is a Federal agent working for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and appears uncomfortable about working with Wolff and his brother Braxton, who is as criminal as his sibling and known lethal hitman, makes their involvement in this case even more questionable. Could it be that this case, dealing with human trafficking, has somehow stirred feelings in them that are usually hidden behind their icy facades? Possibly.

Regardless of its plot inconsistencies, it’s unfortunate that The Accountant 2 didn’t get a chance to smooth things out. Nonetheless, watching Ben Affleck reprise his role as Wolff remains delightful. Whether he’s participating in speed dating, line dancing, or basking on the roof of his Airstream trailer home, he’s clearly uncomfortable in ordinary social settings. This unease extends to his sibling, who unexpectedly travels to Los Angeles without a clear reason, despite not having seen each other for eight years. Before long, they find themselves deeply involved in criminal activities such as pimps, snipers, cartel leaders, and much more.

The script seems to barely touch on the possibility that it could be insensitive towards people with autism, much like Dustin Hoffman’s performance in Rain Man. Ben Affleck portrays his character appealingly as he learns to some extent to bond with his brother. It’s the chemistry between Affleck and Bernthal that keeps the story engaging, despite a growing complexity in the narrative involving a murder and the potential trafficking of a family from El Salvador who have vanished.

In addition, a secondary plotline revolves around Anais (played by Daniella Pineda, recognized for her role as Zia in the last two Jurassic World films), a proficient operative, who appears in the opening scene and plays a significant role in the narrative. Unfortunately, she resembles Florence Pugh’s character from Marvel’s Black Widow, making this part of the movie seem somewhat unoriginal. Furthermore, to complicate matters, there are a group of brainy youngsters and an unidentified British-accented fixer, who appear to assist Affleck’s Wolff at every juncture.

In a new take, Director Gavin O’Connor (responsible for “Warrior”) steps back into the scene following his work on the 2016 original. He beefs up the action with intense bar fights and gun battles that keep viewers engaged. A particularly standout fight features Michael Turek as a corrupt pizza business owner, who is singlehandedly brought down by Affleck’s character, Wolff. However, most of the physical confrontations are rather predictable. What truly shines is the humor, especially the playful banter between the siblings, such as Brax teasing Chris by stealing his sunscreen.

In its closing scenes, the film appears less believable as the siblings venture into places no sane person would, especially since they’re not compensated for this extremely hazardous task. However, it seems that Affleck and Bernthal are having a good time, despite whether you find it enjoyable or not.

Basically, if you’re open to it, The Accountant 2 offers mindless enjoyment. However, once you begin scrutinizing it, its logic becomes questionable and inconsistent.

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2025-04-23 15:44