Prime Time: The Accountant 2 (2025)

I enjoyed The Accountant. It was a perfectly fine vehicle for Ben Affleck, although I could immediately see others would be unhappy with it (considering the autism = superpower aspect of the plot). I didn't think it needed a sequel though. And I don't think I have ever spoken to anyone else who was impatient to see more adventures for the main character.

But here we are.

Things start with Ray King (J. K. Simmons) getting himself into a sticky situation that will lead to Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) enlisting the help of Christian Wolff AKA The Accountant (Affleck). The situation requires more than one capable killer though, and Christian reluctantly enlists the help of his brother, Braxton (Jon Bernthal).

Do you remember The Accountant? Think about that carefully. I had already forgotten the specifics. I remembered that Affleck and Anna Kendrick starred in it, I remembered how Affleck's character was defined, and I remembered some deaths. I'd forgotten that Simmons and Addai-Robinson were in it, I'd forgotten that Bernthal made an appearance, and I forgot how The Accountant communicated with a colleague who would help him with jobs/information. A quick refresher helped me get my bearings when this sequel started, although I would say that it's far from essential, especially with the sad absence of Anna Kendrick this time around.

Director Gavin O'Connor returns (still looking to top his best work from the past two decades, the double-whammy of Miracle and Warrior), as does writer Bill Dubuque, but the two men seem comfortable to be a step away from the origin story that had to be part of the first film. There's a sense of fun this time around, and the characters are self-aware enough to keep the whole thing as something you laugh along with, as opposed to laughing at. The slightly twisty plot is really just an excuse to put Affleck and Bernthal in some scenes that can have them bickering before the violence begins, and that's easily enough to make this a superior sequel.

Nobody else feels worthwhile here, be they a goodie or a baddie. It's the Affleck/Bernthal show and both of them do fantastic work, delivering the kind of chemistry and banter that will have most people immediately wanting another adventure for their characters. Addai-Robinson has to be the straight arrow, and she does well enough, Simmons is present just long enough to kick things off, and there are supporting turns from Allison Robertson, Robert Morgan, Grant Harvey, Andrew Howard, and, best of all, a kickass Daniella Pineda.

There's nothing spectacular here, nothing to make it feel like essential viewing, but it's all done well enough to make it worth your time. There's a third act that feels not too far removed from the finale of some special The A-Team episode, which I view as a good thing (others may not), an amusing capper to things, and the sense that there IS potential for this to lead to something else even better. Nobody felt as if The Accountant needed a sequel, but a lot of people will be wanting to see another instalment after enjoying this.

7/10

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Miracle (2004)

Unbeknownst to me, the world of international ice hockey was dominated throughout the 1970s by the Russians. In fact, by the time the 1980 Winter Olympics was looming, they looked unbeatable. That was the scenario facing head coach Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russell), and it was a scenario that led to some major changes in the way that the team was picked and trained.

Based on a true story, this is typical live-action Disney fare. It starts off with Herb applying for, and getting, the head coach position before then showing him selecting his team of young players, working them harder than they've ever been worked before, trying out some unusual tactics and then seeing how things pan out as they play on the national stage.

Director Gavin O'Connor, working from the script by Eric Guggenheim, hits all of the right notes at all of the right moments (just as he would a few years later with Warrior). This is a tale of self-belief, of courage, of sportsmanship and of, well, ice hockey.

Russell is great in the lead role and he gets to work alongside some wonderful talent. Patricia Clarkson plays his supportive wife, Noah Emmerich is an assistant coach who initially doubts his methods and Kenneth Welsh is the team doctor. The young hockey players consist of men picked predominantly for their hockey skills - Eddie Cahill, Patrick O'Brien Demsey and Michael Mantenuto being the three team players who get the most screentime. Thankfully, you wouldn't know that because they do a fine job, although perhaps that IS because they spend a lot of time ice-skating.

This isn't a film for cynics, few Disney films are. There are no surprises here, what with it being based on a true story, but even if you're unfamiliar with what really happened, as I was, then . . . . . . there are no surprises here. It also lacks much humour. This isn't The Mighty Ducks and it seems as if O'Connor wanted to make sure that nobody watching the film would ever forget that. He succeeded. Whereas The Mighty Ducks was a family movie full of great characters and fun moments, this is an uplifting true story, full of good acting, suitable musical accompaniment and a big dollop of good ol' hey hey USA. I prefer the former type of movie myself, but this one is also a good watch.

7/10

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Warrior (2011)

Directed by Gavin O'Connor, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Cliff Dorman and Anthony Tambakis, Warrior could just as easily be a greatest hits megamix called "Now That's What I Call 101 Cheesy Fight Movie Moments".

Tom Hardy stars as Tommy Conlon, an angry young man who returns to see his alcoholic father (played by Nick Nolte). He blames his father for a lot of things, especially driving his mother away and leaving him to watch her die slowly from a terminal disease. Tommy also blames his estranged brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton). Brendan chose to stay close to his father because he'd just met a young woman that he'd fallen in love with. That woman would become his wife (Jennifer Morrison) and his happy family life with his wife and kids causes yet more resentment. Tommy considers himself alone. The only thing he shares with his brother is a strong dislike of his flawed father. Well, they also both happen to be pretty handy at fighting in a cage which leads them to enter a MMA tournament with a $5 Million prize. Tommy wants the money for reasons that will become clear as the movie unfolds while Brendan wants to avoid losing the family home.

So what does this all add up to in terms of the viewing experience? We have the family drama, the personal problems and the far-fetched nature of the whole thing. It's ridiculous, almost childishly simplistic in places and only ever gets into top gear when the vicious fights are taking place. Yet I still enjoyed myself and I still had a tear in my eye by the time the end credits rolled, even while I was cursing the movie for being so bloody manipulative.

Tom Hardy puts in a good performance but I remain unconvinced of his greatness. In this performance he mixes elements from Bronson with his performance in The Dark Knight Rises and it all just starts to feel a little too familiar already. Joel Edgerton is easy to root for but completely unconvincing as a potential MMA champion (though I'm sure that he could kick my ass if he ever felt the urge, along with 75% of the entire population of our planet). Nick Nolte is excellent in a role that easily gives him the opportunity to . . . . . be excellent. Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Kevin Dunn and Bryan Callen all do good enough in supporting roles and there are also a number of muscle-bound men out to hurt each other en route to the big finale.

O'Connor directs the whole thing competently enough. The soundtrack and score may be a bit underwhelming but all of the shots and scenes are generally well presented and the film overcomes the problems inherent in the unoriginal material by simply giving time over to every cliched aspect and treating each one as if it deserves inclusion. Strangely enough, this means that by the time all of the elements come together at the very end of everything they DO all deserve inclusion.

Okay, so it's easy to believe that before writing the script for the movie everyone involved simply sat down and watched all of the Rocky movies, each instalment of The Best Of The Best and a few older Jean-Claude Van Damme films for good measure. But that doesn't necessarily make for a bad blend of movie moments. In fact, on this occasion it makes for something overwrought, cheesy and, dammit all, solidly entertaining.

7/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warrior-Blu-ray-Tom-Hardy/dp/B0063H2ZS4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344271119&sr=8-2