The Accountant 2 Review

Your Dad is going to love this on TNT next year

Our favorite autistic supersoldier accountant is back in an unbelievably convoluted sequel that has some juice when it focuses on the buddy cop/brother aspect of the film. It's the ultimate B movie that has some solid and charming performances from our leads. The brotherly chemistry between them is not just enjoyable; it's the film's heart. However, the film's attempt to juggle too many plots and characters causes it to stumble. But nothing will top my grandfather whispering to me when credits rolled, "Not a lot of accounting in this one. Disappointing." Well said, Pops.

I usually start the second paragraph of all my reviews with a quick, spoiler-free summary of the film to give readers some context or interest, but I feel stupid trying to recap this because the plot is ridiculous. The Accountant (Ben Affleck) is called back into action when his former acquaintance and head of the FinCEN, Raymond King (J.K. Simmons), is murdered. Working with the new director of FinCEN, Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), and his estranged assassin brother (Jon Bernthal), they must discover the truth of King's murder and his investigation into a missing family that leads to stopping a human trafficking ring. There's also the Accountant's super-hacking autistic school, a supersoldier woman with facial reconfiguration, and two brothers learning to love each other over a cold Budweiser. Hell yeah, brother.

The main positive you should take out of Accountant 2 is that Affleck and Bernthal are superb on-screen. When they are having banter back and forth, it's sublime, leading to some hilarious and touching moments between the two brothers. Affleck continues with his slightly introverted and calculated performance as the Accountant, but allows himself to open up more in this one. I preferred the nerdier version of him and wanted to do his forensic accounting thing, but his solving a mystery/puzzle like this works. Bernthal, playing that macho but insecure dude that we've come to love, is especially hilarious in this one, where he's hitting you with solid one-liners and fists at any given moment. The two's chemistry works, and you could tell from just their one scene in the finale of the original Accountant that there was something there.

The film does look nice! It's confidently made, and the action is just fine! This one has more action than the original, but don't expect John Wick-level gun-fu—just some solid headshots and tactical shootouts. Affleck and Bernthal know their way around arms, so seeing them back-to-back taking down bad dudes is undoubtedly entertaining. The film wants the emotional core centered around this missing mom and son while balancing several other plots. But the film's structure and style are reminiscent of some 70s/'80s European B Movie series I've seen. It's a bit of a Coke fever dream with an inconsequential plot. If you're into that, then this film will define your interest.

I think there will be tons of dads around the country who are very pumped that their favorite comfy sneakers, Deadly Nerd, are back, and you know, I can't lie; I had some decent fun, but maybe that was hanging out with my grandfather and aunt for a bit in the afternoon. When Accountant 2 is firing on all cylinders, it's when the two brothers at the lead are having fun shooting the shit or kicking ass, and you know, I think that's lovely. Outside of that, it is some good old-fashioned delicious garbage you toss on midday on cable with some okay action and a plot you don't care about because it's a twisting mess.

Final score: 5/10

Written by Kevin J. Pettit