‘The Accountant 2’ Review: Ben Affleck’s Autistic Action Savant Makes a Winning Return in a Thriller That Improves on the First Film’s Messiness

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1984 saw the release of “The Terminator,” a film that significantly impacted pop culture during its decade, although it may be difficult now to recall the humorous aspect when Arnold Schwarzenegger was chosen for the role of the menacing cybernetic assassin. At the time, his casting was seen as a witty jest, stemming from his somewhat comical acting style at that point in his career. (It’s not necessarily a compliment to say he was perfect for a cyborg role.)

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’ve always admired Ben Affleck’s acting skills, but there was a time, about nine years ago when he took on the role of ‘The Accountant,’ where his performance struck me with a unique twist of irony. You see, Ben has this knack for playing characters that come off as stiff and square at times, with an understated emotional range. But it’s precisely these qualities that make him a flawless fit for Christian Wolff, the autistic savant accountant who handles the books for criminals.

In this role, he masterfully portrays Wolff’s extraordinary numerical abilities and his ruthless efficiency as an action hero. What makes it even more intriguing is that the character’s quirks and peculiarities mirror some of Ben Affleck’s own acting traits, making the performance all the more captivating.

In simpler terms, the movie “The Accountant” can be described as a mix of an action-packed thriller like “Jason Bourne” and a drama centered around a character with exceptional abilities, similar to “Rain Man.” However, Christian Wolff, played by Ben Affleck, offers a more complex portrayal than Dustin Hoffman’s Rain Man. He speaks in a monotone voice, rarely showing any strong emotions, but his character is not just a brainiac – he’s also surprisingly personable despite his stoic nature. This emotional detachment, which gives him the appearance of an emotionless android, contributes to Christian Wolff’s effectiveness as an action hero. Because of his lack of empathy, he can inflict pain without remorse.

Despite Ben Affleck’s captivating performance in “The Accountant,” the movie itself left a lot to be desired, feeling more like a jumbled puzzle than a cohesive storyline. Director Gavin O’Connor attempted to infuse it with an endearing human touch, but the script, penned by Bill Dubuque, seemed to have been torn apart and reassembled haphazardly. However, as I eagerly await “The Accountant 2,” I find myself seeing a glimmer of hope in its disorganized predecessor. In my perspective, this film series could only improve from here.

Indeed, that’s exactly how things turned out! “The Accountant 2” offers an amusingly chaotic and excessively violent experience. Once again, O’Connor takes the director’s seat, and Dubuque pens the script. Dubuque has this peculiar talent (if we can call it that) for crafting scenes that wander and unfold in such a way that you’re both relishing them and slightly puzzled, wondering, “What on earth is the purpose of this scene?” This writing quirk drove me up the wall in “The Accountant.” However, this time, it has led to something as enjoyably sensational as it is implausible. “The Accountant 2” can be described as one of the rare thrillers that could be classified as a ‘hangout movie.’

The story revolves around Marybeth Medina, a deputy working at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, as she attempts to rescue a family of Central American refugees whose picture is with her boss, Raymond King. However, Raymond gets killed in an impressive initial scene. The question arises about who the emotionless brunette with dark roots, an assassin, is, who shows up to meet him. Get ready for more “John Wick” universe development.

Marybeth collaborates with Christian, who dwells in his vintage PanAmerican Airstream RV, a space that suits his inventive mind perfectly. Utilizing his keen intellect, he skillfully navigates their investigation as events unfold like colliding slow-motion bumper cars. Watching Christian’s unique approach to speed dating or analyzing photos and financial documents to uncover hidden clues that are undetectable to others is quite intriguing.

When they visit the shady head of a pizza company where an immigrant mother used to work, Christian leaves the man both bedazzled and bewildered by deducing – from his profits and most sought-after pizza – that he’s involved in money laundering. He then resorts to forceful tactics to obtain the necessary information, but one might question whether this can truly be classified as sadism if our protagonist doesn’t derive pleasure from it; rather, he simply employs whatever methods are objectively effective.

It’s highly unlikely that the film “Accountant” would have been made without Braxton, Christian’s brother, who serves as his more unruly counterpart. Unlike him, Braxton isn’t autistic, but Jon Bernthal, with his cocky smirk and thick, standing-high hair giving an eerie resemblance to Affleck’s sociopathic twin, portrays Braxton in a way that suggests he might be on the spectrum. The duo forms an unlikely dark comedy team: the Criminal and the Accountant. An incident involving Braxton inviting a trio of sex workers into their motel room seems unrelated to the main plot, making you question whether to continue watching the movie; however, if you stick with it, everything falls into place. A group of YA hackers, who are autistic and brilliant, work together in a scene that showcases their skill as they control every screen and appliance in a stranger’s home to recover a photograph she accidentally took of the blonde assassin. The creation of this assassin is a story within itself, revolving around acquired savant syndrome, which, in its portrayal, borders on science fiction.

Despite his solitude, which stems from his unique personality, Christian struggles. Yet, he hints at an escape in a lively sequence at a bustling L.A. honky-tonk bar. Incited by a woman who initiates a flirtatious conversation, Christian employs his keen observation skills to join a country line dance. The movie, titled “The Accountant 2,” maintains an engaging balance between meaningful scenes and those that pass the time. However, as it approaches its climactic rescue, set in a Juarez children’s compound, it veers into predictable territory, offering less eccentric charm compared to the rest of the film. Before this point, “The Accountant 2” demonstrates its potential as a franchise worth considering.

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2025-03-09 12:47