The Accountant 2 Review: Sequel Misses the Mark With Shallow Humor
'The Accountant 2' Swaps Nuance for Goofs and Misses the Magic
There’s a weird sense of déjà vu watching The Accountant 2. For longtime fans of the original, the spark just isn’t there. This sequel barrels into the big screen with promises of action and drama, only to deliver a strange blend of goofy gags and recycled plot beats. Instead of evolving, it doubles down on slapstick and snappy one-liners—sometimes bordering on parody—leaving behind the quiet intensity that made the first film click.
If you remember 2016’s The Accountant, Ben Affleck’s Christian Wolff was a scarily competent math whiz who just happened to take down bad guys with Jason Bourne levels of precision. Sure, there were gunfights and chases, but what really drew people in was the way the movie balanced those adrenaline rushes with sensitive, well-drawn moments. Christian’s relationship with his brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) was complicated, loaded with history and heartache. The original wasn’t just about body counts but about what life is like when you see the world differently—struggling, connecting, surviving.
This time around? The filmmakers seem convinced we’d rather laugh than feel anything meaningful. Gone is that subtle, hard-earned rapport between Affleck and Bernthal. Instead, the sequel serves up awkward comic bits where there used to be tension and gravitas. There’s one scene in particular that sums up how the film took a wrong turn: Braxton, broken down and finally about to open up to his brother, suddenly pivots into a nonsensical sunscreen gag that stops the vibe dead in its tracks. The original was never afraid to get messy with emotions; the sequel acts like a joke will fix everything.
That’s not to say it’s all a total bust. Jon Bernthal’s chaotic energy is still magnetic—he doesn’t phone in a single moment, and it’s easy to wish the movie just followed his lead. But even he can’t rescue scenes where the writing forces him into awkward slapstick at the expense of real character development. Ben Affleck, meanwhile, seems stranded. His measured performance feels lost in a story that just won’t slow down long enough for him to remind us why Christian Wolff once felt fresh and real.
Action Delivers, But Depth Takes a Back Seat
The fight choreography is as crisp as ever, and there are still plenty of shootouts and wild escapes. If you come for action, you won’t walk away empty-handed. But even these set pieces risk blending together; without emotional stakes, you’re just watching bodies flip around a soundstage. The filmmakers seem unsure about what made the first film tick, so they slap action and slapstick together and hope nobody notices what’s missing.
Box office numbers hint at this disconnect. The Accountant 2 made $24.4 million in its debut—not a disaster, but far short of the original’s $86 million run. It opened behind Sinners in its second weekend, signaling lukewarm audience interest. The first movie, after all, finished strong both in theaters and on streaming, turning into a minor cult favorite thanks to its smarter, more thoughtful moments. That same loyal fanbase is likely to feel let down by this lighter, quicker version.
Amazon is betting the movie will get a boost when it starts streaming in July, but the critical reception has already put a dent in its reputation. The story’s been boiled down and repackaged for easier consumption—the shorthand among critics: it’s ‘The Accountant for Dummies.’ For anyone hoping the sequel would build on the original’s potential, it’s a letdown to see it settle for less.