Plot: What’s it about?
To Ben Affleck’s credit, he’s managed not only to survive in Hollywood, but thrive. His star isn’t what it was back in the late 90’s/early 00’s, but he’s shown that his acting and writing skills (and he’s managed to keep his looks) are more than enough to make it in this industry. Back in 2016 we were graced (for lack of a better term) with The Accountant. It gave us a look at a different kind of character. Think Jason Bourne, if he hung out in libraries. How’s that for an analogy? Nevertheless, the film was a modest success raking in just over $150 million dollars worldwide on a $40 million dollar budget. I don’t know the exact metrics of when Hollywood green lights a sequel, but here we are nearly a decade later and we’ve got one. I don’t know who was thinking and/or expecting it, but the main players are back with Affleck leading the charge as well as Jon Bernthal, Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons. If this first one was your thing, you’ll be treated to 132 minutes of more of the same. If not, I’d stop reading now.
Affleck reprises his role as Christian Wolff, an accountant (duh) for the mafia who happens to be autistic. But…that’s a bit misleading, he only seems to showcase that when it’s right to advance the plot. Nevertheless, when his former nemesis Ray King (J.K. Simmons) is murdered, Marybeth Madina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) is forced to call upon him to help track down the suspect. And solving this case requires finding a family of Mexican immigrants that have gone missing. Christian is forced to bring in his brohter, Braxton (Jon Bernthal), who also happens to be an assassin to a little needed assistance.
The Accountant 2 gets a few things right, but moreover it gets a lot more wrong. There are some plot points that just don’t seem to lead anywhere, or actors that we see and are never seen again (with no explanation as to why) and the film’s bloated running time of 132 minutes really drags the film down. In the days of Tik Tok videos and instant gratification, movies that run over 2 hours need to have constant action and/or stimuli else they lose the audience. Guess that this one was guilty of? If you said the latter, you win. The cast is fine in their respective parts, they’re all seasoned actors but the sum of these performances don’t really equate to the whole being better. Ever the original director, Gavin O’Connor, is back but that doesn’t seem to help. It’s not horrible by any means, just disjointed.
Video: How’s it look?
One thing that can be said is that the transfer is top notch as it delivers a consistently satisfying image throughout. Colors are strong and deep, details are solid as well. Sharpness was on point and the print is pristine as well. I expected no less from such a recent film, and this delivered. The 4K HEVC image delivers a clean and consistent look and feel – nothing less than this would have been tolerated. Ever.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The Dolby Atmos track can feel a bit limited at times, but this isn’t a film that’s meant to showcase the extremes of your home entertainment system. By no means is it problematic, but I had to adjust the volume quite a few times. The action sequences are fine, but the vocals feel a bit more limited than I would’ve preferred, especially for such a recent film. The music is nice and has good depth, but I just expected a bit more range. Overall, it’s not a deal breaker.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no extras.
The Bottom Line
Nearly a decade later this is a sequel than no one expected. Or asked for. Nevertheless, we’ve got it. If seeing an autistic Ben Affleck is your thing, you’ve got not one but two films to see him showcase that “talent.” And let’s hope you like the film, because it’s void of supplements though does look and sound decent.
