The Accountant 2 Review: Ben Affleck’s Sequel Expertly Balances Violence And Heart

While the film industry is dominated by major franchises and cinematic universes, some properties end up growing more accidentally. Case in point: Ben Affleck's burgeoning property The Accountant, which began with the original 2016 film and continues with its first sequel. That blockbuster included an outstanding and unique performance by Ben Affleck as protagonist Christian Wolff, thrilling action, as well as some truly mind-blowing twists. Fans have been calling for a sequel for years, and after nearly a decade, The Accountant 2 is finally approaching theaters. And I've got to say, I might like it even more than its predecessor.

The Accountant 2 is set years after the events of the 2016 original, with Affleck's Christian Wolff once again involved in a high stakes adventure. He's contacted by Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson, reprising her role from the original), and tasked with solving a murder. But this time around he's not doing the job alone... even if he wants to.

One of the big twists of the original movie was that Jon Bernthal's character Braxton was actually Christian's brother. With that reveal out of the way, director Gavin O'Connor and writer Bill Dubuque put these siblings at the front of the story and allow audiences to watch as they try to connect in as a violent buddy duo. And it's in this dynamic that I think the movie is surpasses the success of first film.

Ben Affleck’s Christian Wolff is endlessly charming.

Ben Affleck has had a long and wildly successful career as an actor, so it's well known that he's able to pull of moving and memorable performances. And while I loved his take on classics like Good Will Hunting and his jaded, hulking take on Batman, Christian Wolff is one of his very best characters. Despite the years in between Accountant films, he is able to perfectly slip back into character for the long-awaited sequel.

In both films, Wolff is portrayed as neurodivergent, with his specific form of autism offering him an analytical mind a unique set of skills. While he's wildly effective and a total badass, vulnerability and charm comes in the ways he struggles socially. Affleck's first scene in The Accountant 2 sees Christian attempt speed dating, with the audience treated to a montage of foibles.

While Affleck is known for playing badasses (and indeed, Christian knows his way around a shoot out), it's the way that he portrays the character's flaws that make him so lovable. Much of this happens in the way that he interacts with Jon Bernthal's Braxton. But more about that particular dynamic later.

The action and twists deliver and result in The Accountant 2 flying by.

In addition to Ben Affleck's acclaimed performance as the title character, The Accountant is primarily known for its plot twists and thrilling action. Gavin O'Connor once again hit it out of the park in this new chapter in both regards, and the movie's 132-minute runtime really moves quickly as a result.

There are a ton of action pieces in The Accountant 2, both gunfights and dizzying hand to hand combat. And while the fight choreography is like a thrilling dance, the violence feels very real and anxiety-induing. Characters, including major returning ones, take a serious beating as a result, allowing each of these sequences to have palpable stakes. And after one big plot twist in the opening sequence, it's clear that no one is safe.

The murder mystery at the center of this movie's story ends up connecting to a much larger ring of criminal activity including human trafficking. O'Connor and screenwriter Bill Dubuque methodically peel back this story in a way that's wildly satisfying by the time the third act comes to a close. Fear not fans of the original, there are still twists this time around, – and by the end of the film, all of its storylines are tied up with a neat bow.

The sibling story between Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal was genuinely moving.

While The Accountant 2 follows a giant mystery that extends across multiple countries, the real heart of the story is about the relationship between Affleck's Christian and Bernthal's Braxton. It's revealed early into the runtime that they haven't seen each other since the events of the first film, allowing audiences to pick up where they left off and see how the brothers' relationship works from the inside.

While Braxton is a brash and violent killer, he wants his family's approval like so many of us. While the brothers butt heads pretty immediately in the movie, we slowly learn just how hurt Bernthal's character is that his brother never reached out. He clearly wants a deeper relationship, while Christian has trouble understanding what it is his brother needs from him.

Of course, this storyline plays out as the duo are kicking ass and taking names, including some truly dazzling shoot-out sequences. Affleck and Bernthal are known for being excellent in these types of scenes, but they seemingly brought just as much care to the moments of stillness between Christian and Braxton. These two actors are really some of the best in the business, and they're able to expertly pivot between action, heart, and comedy throughout The Accountant 2.