The Accountant 2 review (2025)

The Accountant 2 was overdue given the gap from the 2016 original, but the sequel proved more than worth the wait thanks to a fun shift in tone while retaining most of what made the initial film so entertaining.

Ben Affleck reprises his role of math savant Christian Wolff, whose skill with financial bookkeeping is only matched by his talents with a gun. Christian’s longtime associate Ray (J.K. Simmons) gets gunned down early in the film as he’s in the midst of tracking down a missing family last seen nearly a decade ago.

Ray’s successor at the Treasury Department, Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Arrow), seeks Christian’s aid to close Ray’s final case. Like its predecessor, The Accountant 2 doesn’t feel the need to constantly bombard viewers with reminders that Christian is on the autism spectrum. Director Gavin O’Connor never makes Christian’s disorder a negative. It’s simply something that’s an aspect of Christian’s life.

A big mystery in the first film was who was the voice on the other end of Christian’s phone who provided him with valuable assistance. That proved to be his childhood friend, Justine (Allison Robertson), a non-verbal autistic individual who communicates through a type to speak computer program.

Justine’s role has increased as she’s expanded her operation to include other non-verbal geniuses to help Christian. In one of The Accountant 2’s stronger scenes, Justine and her crew track down a person of interest (Daniella Pineda, Cowboy Bebop) even Medina’s FBI contacts can’t locate using their vastly superior computer skills.  

Still, there’s only so much Justine and her band can accomplish prompting Christian to turn to his hitman for hire brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal, Daredevil: Born Again) for some of his less refined assistance.

Bernthal is a movie/TV show enhancer. A project or even a lone scene only benefits from his participation. Bernthal had a fun supporting role in the first film that’s beefed up to a full-on co-starring role.

That shift elevates The Accountant 2 as Braxton is such a fun, wildcard character that perfectly balances Christian’s compulsive need for order. There’s never any certainty about what Braxton is going to say or do, but it’s a safe bet it’s going to be entertaining.

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Affleck and Bernthal have amazing chemistry together, fully selling the brotherly dynamic as they easily bounce off each other for some heartfelt, genuine laughs. The Accountant 2 is hardly a comedy, but there are some strong action buddy comedy elements at play that add a welcome new wrinkle to the series’ formula. Arguably the best scene features Christian and Braxton going to get drunk at a country bar leading to a memorable dance number from Affleck with Dominique Domingo and Bernthal sitting on the sidelines having a ball.

Addai-Robinson also gets in on the fun as Medina feels increasingly more put upon by Braxton’s cavalier attitude towards the legal system and overall brash nature. She makes for a tremendous strait-laced foil to Christian and Braxton.

Returning screenwriter Bill Dubuque navigates the shifts from laid back, feel-good moments to the tense, deadlier scenes well so it never feels particularly jarring. Dubuque does set up a layered mystery with a slow-rolling revelation of the connection with shady businessman Burke (Robert Morgan) and his hitman Cobb (Grant Harvey).

When it’s time for the action, O’Connor doesn’t shortchange viewers on that front. The Accountant 2 has some scintillating action sequences with some skillful gun play. The shoot-outs aren’t at a John Wick chaotic level, but no other action film can compete with that franchise either so that shouldn’t be held against The Accountant 2 either.

The Accountant 2 delivers what fans of the original likely expected with the unexpected bonus of how much fun the interaction with Affleck and Bernthal proved to be for this solid sequel. Hopefully it won’t be another nine years for a third installment.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Photo Credit: Amazon MGM Studios

Check out The Accountant 2 now on Amazon Prime.

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