In 2016, Gavin O'Connor released his film, The Accountant, starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Jon Bernthal, and J.K. Simmons. Nearly nine years later, the sequel, The Accountant 2 premiered at South by Southwest in Austin, being the first in the series to get a festival run. With all of the big names attached, it quickly becoming one of the festival's most popular films. But after nearly ten years between installments, was The Accountant 2 worth the wait?
The Accountant was released back in 2016 to mixed reviews from critics, but still managed to score nominations for both Saturn and Jupiter Awards. Apart from critics, audiences praised the film, especially Ben Affleck's lead performance. However, the film's tepid reception failed to gain it any real notoriety and so The Accountant gradually became forgotten over the years. Frankly, it's shocking that the film even got a follow-up at all. But the reaction that its sequel has been getting since release has been far from lukewarm.
To the surprise of all who saw it this week, The Accountant 2 feels much more like a stand-alone film than a sequel. The tone could not be more different, while the first installment was a gritty, dark crime drama, the sequel is largely a…comedy? Yes, as shocking as it sounds, The Accountant 2 is a thousand times more light hearted than its predecessor and that's where the film gets most of its strength. It didn't take itself too seriously and had audiences roaring with laughter throughout the entire runtime. Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal have an incredible on-screen dynamic between their two characters, it makes me wonder why Bernthal's character wasn't heavily utilized in the original because he's just so, so good.
After this weekend, it's not an unpopular opinion to consider this film leagues ahead of its predecessor in terms of quality. Director, Gavin O'Connor has previously stated his plans and ambitions to expand his creation into a trilogy, referring to it as "Rain Man on steroids." And if the next installment is anything like the sequel, sign me up!
Clearly, it pays to just have some fun on screen.
While The Accountant 2 is a vast improvement from the original, that's not to say the film does not come with its own set of flaws. Just like its predecessor, The Accountant 2 suffers from a meandering, muddled, and at times confusing storyline. The film has adopted the motif of "putting together the puzzle" but by the time the credits rolled, some pieces were missing and I wasn't quite sure what the picture was supposed to be. There were a handful of moments that were clearly meant to be very emotional or shocking but the shaky plot ruins any and all impact.
A lot of work needs to be done in terms of screenwriting before the third installment can begin official production. Fortunately, where the film lacks in legibility it makes up for with well done, kick-ass action scenes, especially in the third act. If you're the kind of viewer who loves a good car chase, shoot out, or just a bunch of explosions, you won't be disappointed.
The Accountant 2 is overall, a mixed bag of quality, but definitely an improvement from the original that was released nearly a decade ago. It's sure to delight fans of the original, action movie buffs, and anyone who just wants to have a fun time at their local theater.
The Accountant 2 is set for wide release in the United States on April 25th, 2025.
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