After a successful box office run, the Certified Fresh, SXSW Audience Award-winning film is coming to Prime Video!
It’s been nearly 10 years since Ben Affleck debuted as Christian Wolff, aka The Accountant, in the same-name actioner that Gavin O’Connor pushed to a sizeable box office haul ($155m) despite tepid-ish reviews. That being said, average reviews have never stopped a sequel from being brought to fruition before, and the creation O’Connor, Affleck and writer Bill Dubuque formed felt ripe for a continuation; one that certainly shouldn’t have taken 9 years.
But that old saying of good things come to those who wait feels more apt than ever with the arrival of The Accountant 2, a sequel that takes what worked considerably in the first – that being Affleck’s awkward frankness (his character is autistic) and his chemistry with on-screen brother Jon Bernthal – and amps it to 11, peppering in surprising bouts of humour to offset its violent mentality.
Whilst the film is tailored more so to those that viewed the first, Dubuque’s script does a stellar job at placing The Accountant 2 as its own entity. Sure, it brings back returning characters without the need for a reintroduction, but there’s enough exposition and suggestion for audiences to pick up on what’s been put down. Some uninitiated viewers may be surprised that J.K. Simmons‘ Raymond King doesn’t make it past the opening minutes (this isn’t a spoiler), but his presence and subsequent death set the film in motion, with Christian taking it upon himself to solve his murder; it would appear Ray was investigating a string of killings himself, and clearly got too close for someone’s comfort.
For Christian and his brother, Braxton, their dynamic hasn’t dramatically changed. Christian still lives in an Airstream, communicating with his non-verbal handler, Justine (physically performed by Allison Robertson, with voice work provided by Alison Wright), about whichever organisation he needs to uncover. Braxton is still a vicious killer of sorts, but only to those who truly deserve it. And together, they are both acutely aware that they need to brace the outside world for a sense of performative normality, leading the film to embrace its comedic mentality in a manner the first film only flirted with.
The autism factor and its authenticity is something I can’t comment on, but I’m aware it was one of the first film’s major criticisms, and here, perhaps in what O’Connor and co. thought as being a major service, autism is presented as being almost a superpower of sorts. At the location that Justine is working out of, she has a band of neurodivergent children assisting her, almost in an X-Men capacity that brands autism as an inherently cool factor. I wholeheartedly believe The Accountant 2‘s heart is in the right place, and, again, I can’t comment on if it’s seen as being derogatory in any way.
What I can comment on is The Accountant 2 functioning as an actioner, and a buddy-driven one at that, with the decision to frame the sequel predominantly around the energy of Affleck and Bernthal proving the smartest act of play. Ray’s murder and what, or who, he was investigating brings the film back to its genre roots, with a Call of Duty-esque shootout towards the film’s backend reminding us what temperament the film is celebrating, but when the script calls for the more brotherly moments to shine, it’s truly something to behold.
Between Christian learning how to pick up women at a saloon by participating in line-dancing (Braxton’s pure joy at witnessing this is infectious) and his speed-dating adventure, where the women all learn that just because he looks like, well, Ben Affleck, he isn’t necessarily a smooth catch, Dubuque’s script takes pride in showcasing the physicality of his leading man, both in an action and comedic sense; and not to be outdone, Bernthal is equally equipped for the task, with a phone call between Braxton and the pet adoption agency he’s frustrated with speaking to his own unique personality, as he modulates his voice and tone to sound more appealing to the agency, all the while standing about in his underwear.
Sure, it may scale back the actual accounting aspect, and the autism aspect will either work for you or not, but in all its outlandish action, seemingly super-human villains (Daniella Pineda makes for an intimidating, stoic assassin who’s near-impossible to take down), slight homoeroticism, well-meaning heart and genuine humour, The Accountant 2 emerges as a far stronger product than its predecessor, with it basking in its self awareness and embracing its 1980s/1990s buddy mentality. Whether or not The Accountant 2 makes way for a further sequel (or sequels, because, in all honesty, we should have at least 5 of these by now) remains to be seen (if it does, a 9 year wait is just unacceptable), but Affleck and Bernthal should absolutely take advantage of their rapport here and place their natural chemistry in a film of similar build.
THE ACCOUNTANT 2 will be streaming globally on Prime Video June 5, 2025
