The Accountant 2

The Accountant, like pizza, is decent even when mediocre. Unfortunately, like most sequels, this doesn't measure up to the original. The story and characters are more bland and vague where they shouldn't be, and more detailed and defined where it doesn't really help. Frankly, it turned out more like a generic TV action movie. More of the same, but not as good. Bad guys get killed, but the reasons are far more generic and vague. The story and plausibility took a big hit. Not all the action sequences works as well as the last one. They tried to me more jokey here, but only about half land. But, given the sad state of movies these days, I don't mind supporting a "noble" effort.

The Accountant 2 opens with tired beats and immediately falls into formula. The writing is weak, loaded with bad cop movie tropes, flat exposition, and attempts at humor that land with a thud. Cynthia Addai-Robinson's performance is especially wooden-zero chemistry, no urgency, and completely lifeless delivery. The score sounds like stock suspense cues pulled from a bargain bin, draining scenes of any weight. Ben Affleck's portrayal of Christian feels like a caricature of a character, not a person. Jon Bernthal is the lone bright spot, managing to bring grit and humanity despite the clunky lines. Slick on the surface, hollow underneath. 4/10.

Tonally extremely different to the original movie as they aim to increase the comedic moments. Very weak plot which seemed to rely on paper thin character links.

Terrible oversights with character continuity for the actual accountant. He sounded and looked different - his wardrobe was actually that of Forrest Gump and they even mentioned that as a reference at one point. He doesn't seem to be working in the same way now, and just messing about with dating algorithms for laughs now?! Even if you buy into him making 9 years of effort to integrate, it just seemed too different and ultimately fans of the first movie are coming back for more of the same so development must be within some bounds, otherwise he is just a different character.

I was really upset that they turned his "Solomon Grundy" stim/soothe into a joke and then had him use it in absolutely the wrong moment - more like a punch/tag line. His father's routine over overstimulation that dominated the original to help him cope with the world was completely absent - nothing really seemed to trigger him this time at all.

Would go so far as to say that Jon Bernthal was absolutely wasted and his character was made to look like an idiot rather than a dangerous and whimsical guy.

Agent Medina was a bit of an afterthought who got in the way. Little character development and it seemed like she was just there to remind us all how "off book" the accountant and his brother are.

Honestly this was a terrible follow up to the first movie and we came home and immediately put on the original to try and wash away the mess that was this sequel. It was such an opportunity to really do something cool with the concept, and it was absolutely wasted.

I really like The Accountant. It dared to change the action movie lead role with an autistic character, providing a very interesting role. How would the combination of strengths and weaknesses that The Accountant's condition play out in the dangerous world of international criminals and hitmen?

It was this combination of obsessive/compulsive need for order and completion, combined with an inability to empathise or understand social interactions, that made Affleck's character, Christian Wolff, so interesting.

In the sequel, the writing is not as focused on Affleck in the same way. Instead the focus is on the relationship between him and his brother (Bernthal). While well acted, this simply does not have the same appeal. The movie shines when Wolff's neurodivergence is front and centre, but otherwise it feels like any other generic action-thriller (albeit a well-done one).

The Accountant 2 had the potential to build on the strong foundation laid by its predecessor - a serious, well-crafted action thriller with genuine emotional stakes. Instead, it sadly veers into self-parody. What was once a grounded character study wrapped in a taut narrative is now reduced to a series of exaggerated callbacks and hollow action beats.

Rather than deepening the complexity of its central character, the sequel leans into caricature, treating its own mythology with a wink rather than with the conviction that made the original resonate. It's disappointing to see a film that once took itself - and its audience - seriously lose its focus in favor of easy spectacle. I was hopeful for a thoughtful continuation; what we got instead feels like a reflection of its former self, more imitation than evolution.