‘The Accountant 2’ review: Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal are back with a winning formula

Dir: Gavin O’Connor. US. 2025. 132mins 

The environment friendly, uneven sequel The Accountant 2 introduces an endearing buddy-comedy aspect to this action-thriller franchise, discovering Ben Affleck’s autistic accountant and Jon Bernthal’s cruel killer placing apart their variations to battle a brand new crop of dangerous guys. The 2016 unique had its share of ludicrous parts — chief amongst them was the truth that its insular title character occurred to be a whiz with arithmetic in addition to fight — however the follow-up well leans into the absurdity, making this second chapter a extra pleasurable journey with out succumbing to self-parody. 

A pummelling, elemental strategy

Premiering at SXSW, the image opens within the UK and US on April 25. (Warner Bros. oversees the worldwide rollout, whereas Amazon MGM Studios will deal with US distribution.) The Accountant grossed $156 million worldwide — a powerful tally for a modestly-budgeted actioner — and little doubt the filmmakers hope audiences have been ready for one more chapter. Unique star Anna Kendrick doesn’t return, setting the stage for Affleck and Bernthal to take centre stage taking part in estranged brothers looking for to restore their frayed relationship. 

As The Accountant 2 begins, forensic accountant Chris (Affleck) is summoned by US Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) to infer why her retired former boss, Raymond King (J.Okay. Simmons), was gunned down in Los Angeles. Recruiting his brother Brax (Bernthal), with whom he has not spoken because the occasions of The Accountant, Chris believes King was on the lookout for lacking members of a Mexican household — and that their whereabouts are linked to a nefarious felony operation.

The Accountant explored the make-up of its protagonist, who has problem making connections with others however is a superb problem-solver. That movie, additionally directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by Ozark co-creator Invoice Dubuque, recounted Chris’ painful childhood through which he and his brother have been raised by a brutally strict navy father — explaining how Chris realized to be an knowledgeable marksman and soldier past having a flair for numbers. Ludicrous and convoluted, The Accountant was diverting, disposable leisure elevated by Affleck’s consciously withdrawn efficiency.

Maybe correctly, the sequel appears much less fascinated with Chris’ situation or his backstory, as a substitute exploiting the rapport between Affleck and Bernthal, who make for an agreeable comedian duo. Whereas Chris is reserved and monotone, the cocky Brax makes snarky asides, consistently teasing his brother about his uptight method. However Affleck will get his share of digs in as effectively — though Chris will not be as outgoing as Brax, his potential to unleash a deadpan retort makes The Accountant 2 a funnier movie than its predecessor.

Such a story technique has its downsides, nevertheless. As a lot as this sequel needs to talk out in regards to the plight of migrants coming to America, these sombre considerations are undercut by Affleck and Bernthal’s odd-couple repartee. Moreover, The Accountant 2 expands on the unique’s late-reel shock of the identification of Chris’ all-knowing handler, giving him a complete group of autistic younger tech geniuses able to hacking into any pc on the earth.

Too typically, this franchise can belittle autism by making it look like a superpower, and Chris’ tech group is performed for laughs in methods that may be uncomfortable. (Add to that, Medina, fairly fairly, complains that what Chris’ group is doing is unlawful and unconstitutional — considerations which can be principally met with a shrug by the filmmakers.)  What retains The Accountant 2 rocketing ahead is O’Connor’s rising ability with motion sequences, blended with quieter scenes when Chris and Brax let down their guard round each other. 

In reality, the central thriller, which permits Chris to indicate off his ingenious thoughts, is the movie’s weak hyperlink, introducing a bland murderer, Anais (Daniella Pineda), who’s given loads of display time to little impact. However every time the movie begins to lose momentum, Chris and Brax’s fight prowess returns to the fore. There’s a B-movie purity to how this franchise conducts its enterprise, eschewing the flash of recent blockbusters for a extra pummelling, elemental strategy to its shootouts and hand-to-hand combat scenes. On prime of that, The Accountant 2 has added a profitable sense of humour to the equation.