If you missed The Accountant back in 2016, now’s the time to catch up. The original film was a surprise hit with audiences, blending slick action with a witty and surprisingly sensitive portrayal of a high-functioning autistic accountant / hitman, Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck).
A forensic accountant with deadly combat skills and a taste for financial puzzles, Wolff navigated shady clients and moral grey zones with calm precision — and a fair few punches.
Fast forward to The Accountant 2, and the numbers are even higher — in both body count and stakes.
The sequel picks up with Christian doing what he does best: unraveling complex financial webs with the kind of laser focus that makes the rest of us feel like we need a nap. But this time, he’s not working alone.
The film reunites Affleck with Jon Bernthal’s Braxton (yes, the equally lethal brother from the first film), giving us a surprisingly heartfelt sibling dynamic underneath all the carnage and some great brotherly banter.
Director Gavin O’Connor returns, and with him, that same brooding tone and brutal fight scenes that made the first film so compelling.
The Accountant 2 dials up the action while keeping the emotional beats intact. We still see Christian grappling with his place in the world — but with a little more confidence, and maybe even a smidge of hope.
The pacing is tight, the action sequences are satisfyingly brutal (though a little gory) without being cartoonish, and Affleck’s performance reminds us why he’s so watchable when playing emotionally guarded loners with a moral compass buried somewhere under all that trauma.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson is back as Treasury analyst Marybeth Medina, adding more intrigue and a nice through-line from the original, while new characters bring fresh energy without derailing the story.
If there’s a weak spot, it’s that the plot occasionally leans too hard on familiar thriller tropes — the “just one last job” motif, the mysterious villain with a personal connection — but the film earns its twists with solid writing and genuine character development.
The central themes of family and connection holds the film together. Affleck and Bernthal have real brotherly chemistry as they navigate their complex and strained relationship. The scenes where they bicker and banter are some of the best parts of this film.
You don’t need a calculator to work this one out: The Accountant 2 is a smart, stylish sequel that manages to expand on the original without losing what made it work.
Fans of the first film will feel rewarded, and newcomers will quickly get up to speed, so whether you’re in it for the spreadsheets or the shootouts, there’s plenty to crunch on here.
A well-balanced mix of brains and brawn, The Accountant 2 is a sequel that adds up to being a great time at the cinemas.
– The Plus Ones
