The trouble of creating a sequel ten years after the original is age — both of its actors and the relevance of its story. Do the actors still look like they fit in the story? Does the audience even remember the story? Such questions naturally arose when The Accountant 2 was announced almost ten years since the first movie. Thankfully, especially if you’re a fan of the original, these concerns are largely irrelevant.

The Accountant came out way back in 2016. The original movie presented a unique thriller that didn’t rely on pure gunplay but rather on its charming protagonist. Christian Wolff is an accountant with autism. Because of his prodigious talent, Wolff works for criminal organizations to audit their books. Naturally, working with criminals leads him to less-than-savory discoveries.

In The Accountant 2, Wolff is back. However, instead of treading the same ground, the sequel focuses on missing persons from a trafficking case worked by Raymond King (J. K. Simmons), a federal agent who often gets leads from Wolff. When King’s protégé Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) takes over the case, Wolff finds a personal reason to find the person, too. To help out, he also enlists the help of his hitman brother, Braxton (Jon Bernthal).

A slow-burn thriller

Much like the original movie, The Accountant 2 lets the plot stew for a while. Despite being involved with ruthless criminal organizations and actual hitmen, the plot does not let Wolff go into the fray with guns blazing like Rambo. Instead, it wants you to focus on who these missing people are. It wants to resolve the mystery first before engaging in a climactic third act, which is made all the more worthy because of the buildup.

Unfortunately, the same slow-burn narrative might also be a detriment. There were a few, albeit short-lived, times when I felt lost to the plot. They last for only a second because the film still resolves almost every little thread in the end, no matter how small.

The charming dynamic between brothers

The best part about The Accountant 2 is the adorable banter between Christian and Braxton. Though Christian isn’t the most sociable and Braxton is a ruthless hitman, there are wonderful moments of brotherly love.

The action does grind to a halt, such as when the two siblings drink at a local bar, but it’s these moments where the sequel shows something more than just a rehash of the original film. Like the mystery itself, the awkward bond between the two feels well-earned, which was missing in the first one. If anything, I wanted more moments where the two brothers just hung out.

Besides the brothers, other side characters also get their chance in the spotlight. Each one has a small side quest throughout the film. One can easily just say that these are ways to pad out the runtime, but they’re done so well that they don’t feel like extra weight on the plot.

For example, Medina struggles to find the perfect desk chair for her office. She even asks Christian about it. Eventually, she finds the perfect one during an investigation and asks it to be delivered to her office. It seems mundane, but those brief moments of normalcy give each character enough personality to create a lively cast.

Despite the heavy nature of The Accountant 2’s main plot, the character work makes the film a charming, laugh-out-loud time. It also helps that the main story itself is gripping enough to keep everyone hooked until the end.