Courtesy of Prime Video/SXSW
In case you’re going to make a sequel to “The Accountant,” a modest sleeper hit from 2016 that garnered a small following by way of the years, the best-case state of affairs is to search out humor within the conditions the returning characters discover themselves in and let Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal carry the film for almost two hours. That’s precisely what director Gavin O’Connor and author Invoice Dubuque have finished with “The Accountant 2,” a movie that’s so tonally completely different from its predecessor you may hardly examine the 2.
The primary movie, which noticed Ben Affleck play autistic mathematical genius Christian Wolff—whose origin story concerned a sadistic father turning him right into a ruthless killing machine—was a critical motion thriller that punched first and requested questions later. The movie tried to make use of Wolff’s accounting expertise and autism as a superpower, however it by no means fairly lived as much as its potential due to the absurdity surrounding it.
In “The Accountant 2,” nonetheless, you may really feel such as you’re watching a mashup of “48 Hours” and “Rush Hour,” because of the rapid-fire jokes and cheeky banter between Affleck and Bernthal (who performs Wolff’s brother). Their dynamic makes up many of the runtime, and whereas the motion takes a backseat, the filmmakers nonetheless handle to throw in a condensed, nonsensical shoot-’em-up earlier than the credit roll.
The plot is, in fact, convoluted and foolish—the sort of movie that might have a sold-out SXSW crowd cheering and hollering at each flip. To its credit score, “The Accountant 2” avoids being a rehash of fan service and embraces the ridiculousness of its premise. From youngster trafficking to cartel mob bosses and assassins, the movie goes all in, and it’s higher for it. However the film does lag every time Affleck and Bernthal aren’t on display screen busting one another’s chops.
What Christian has been as much as for the final eight years is anybody’s guess, however he’s pulled again into the sport by previous ally Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), who’s nonetheless working the Treasury Division’s monetary crime unit. When somebody near them is murdered, they’re dragged right into a convoluted rabbit gap involving a lacking autistic youngster, a relentless killer named Anis (Danielle Pineda), a significant crime syndicate, pace courting, and—sure—line dancing.
At a sure level, attempting to comply with the plot turns into a futile train. The film stops caring about logic, and also you’ll end up doing the identical. However that shift permits for Christian’s hitman brother Braxton (Bernthal) to step in, and that’s the place issues actually begin cooking. Thank God for Jon Bernthal, whose comedic timing and chaotic vitality inject the movie with the sort of attraction it desperately wants. With out him, the film would probably collapse beneath its personal outlandish tendencies.
One of many smartest selections in “The Accountant 2” is to lighten the temper and poke enjoyable at Christian’s social awkwardness. There’s one standout scene the place Christian makes an attempt to impress ladies along with his line-dancing expertise or speed-dating prowess, and it’s pure comedic gold. These moments make “The Accountant 2” really feel like a very completely different movie from its predecessor. In case you discovered the unique maddening (responsible as charged), you’ll probably take pleasure in this one much more.
Finally, “The Accountant 2” is simply as pointless as any sequel to a movie that didn’t even crack $100 million on the home field workplace. However because of its pacing, construction, and the plain chemistry between Affleck and Bernthal, it manages to be a surprisingly entertaining follow-up. When the movie must throw punches or hurl bullets in a chaotic battle, it delivers. If “The Accountant 3” occurs—and the ultimate scene suggests it very nicely may—then the studio higher pay Bernthal and Affleck no matter they should preserve this dynamic duo round. In any other case, stick a fork in it.
THE ACCOUNTANT 2 premiered on the SXSW movie competition. Amazon MGM Studios will launch the movie in theaters on April twenty fifth.
