The Accountant 2

This year's THE ACCOUNTANT 2 arrives nine years later to follow up on the doings of Christian Wolff, forensic accountant, math savant, money launderer, killer.  He is also on the spectrum.  Autistic.  A criminal, but kind hearted, as we learned in the original movie.  I rewatched the first in what is sure to become a franchise a few months ago and liked it even more than I remembered.   Solid action scenes but also plenty of character development, with a sensitivity for those with ASD. 

The new movie, again written by Bill Dubuque and directed by Gavin O'Connor, has another busy plot.  One that incorporates revenge, human trafficking, and the neurological institute where Christian's (Ben Affleck) partner and all around git 'er done assistant Justine (Allison Robertson) works.  There is an engaging scene where the children who collaborate with Justine at Harbor Neuroscience are able to cyber hack their way to identifying a key player who will figure largely this time,  Anais (Daniella Pineda), an assassin with a complicated history.  Everyone in these ACCOUNTANT movies seem to have one.  Christian is contacted by MaryBeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), Deputy Director of the Treasury Department's financial crimes division, after her predecessor Raymond King (J.K. Simmons, seen all too briefly during the opening) is killed. 

MaryBeth is wary of Christian's brutal but undeniably effective ways of getting information from slimebags.  She also has to admire his mental skills.  When he reaches out to his estranged (again) brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) for help in the strong arming department, MaryBeth will eventually cut ties, uncomfortable with their illegal methods.  Plot threads will dovetail.

The storyline is fair, nothing particularly novel.  There is far less action this time out, mostly viewed in the final half hour (and marred by CGI, dammit).  The best moments are between the two brothers, attempting to carve out a relationship.  Yes, even initiated by Christian, for whom saying merely saying "thank you" requires more effort than abstract algebra.  Affleck and Bernthal really shine in their scenes, particularly a lengthy chat atop an Airstream and at a honky tonk bar, where Christian actually line dances to impress a woman.  There is a also an amusing bit early on as Christian attempts speed dating.  

Thus, the film is often more lighthearted than than the first chapter.  More uneven as well, but this lengthy outing rarely fails to entertain.  Affleck even shows a little emotion this time out.  Many have criticized how autistic behavior is depicted here, but I found nothing offensive or caricatured.