THE ACCOUNTANT 2 – Review by Susan Kamyab
The first Accountant surprisingly charmed and entertained audiences. While I did not expect a sequel, I certainly don’t mind getting to see Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal team up again. Though it’s hard to beat the refreshing plot of the original film, this second installment adds up to a solid watch.
Ben Affleck returns as Christian Wolff, an unusual accountant with a brilliant mind that can calculate far more than tax returns. He reunites with his brother, Braxton, to solve the mystery behind a Treasury chief’s murder. While the film delivers on action and intensity, there is also a lot of humor and depth, mostly brought by the film’s leads, who continue to have incredible chemistry. It’s the hilarious interactions between Affleck and Bernthal that make this film stand out. The first film had the two actors spend a lot of time apart before ultimately uniting and revealing their relationship. But The Accountant 2 shows audiences what we were missing.
Director Gavin O’ Connor admirably balances the brother’s dynamic with the movie’s thrilling actions sequences. However, the plot of the film is a bit convoluted, and it may be difficult to keep up with everything happening in the story. And even with so much going on, the over two-hour runtime does drag. The simplicity of the original film proves that less is always more. With every sequel, filmmakers feel they need to up the ante and include more laughs, more subplots, and more of what we don’t really need, but I do appreciate O’ Connor’s efforts for originality and focusing on a heart-warming theme of brotherhood and the value of having someone in your life you can count on.
Some may argue this sequel is better than the first, but it will come down to a matter of preference. But most everyone will agree, seeing Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal on-screen together is pure entertainment. It is clear the two of them are having a blast and that fun rubs off on audiences. At times the comedy will feel misplaced and take away from the serious moments in the film, but while the math is not always mathing in The Accountant 2, it does have satisfying results.
