7 Charming Action-Thrillers Like ‘The Accountant 2’ to Watch Next
“The Accountant 2” is a fun, charming action thriller. It may not be the sequel that fans of its 2016 parent film were expecting, but that is why it works. It doubles down on the electric chemistry between its stars, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal, to deliver a sequel that has many of the same ingredients as the original “Accountant” but even more heart. As contradictory as it may seem to call a sequel original, “The Accountant 2” is, thanks to its combination of familial drama, intrigue and unsparing, pulse-pounding action, a unique concoction.
There are some films, however, that scratch the same itches as it. Case in point: Here are seven movies like “The Accountant 2” that you should watch next if you loved the film (assuming, of course, you have already seen the first “Accountant”).
“Warrior” (2011)
“Warrior” has more in common with “The Accountant 2” than the fact that they were both directed by the same filmmaker, Gavin O’Connor. Set in the world of mixed martial arts, the film follows two estranged brothers (Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy) whose tortured relationship is brought front and center when they end up competing in the same MMA tournament. Like “The Accountant 2,” the film is ultimately about the difficult bond between its central brothers, and both movies handle their stories with the same violent machismo swagger and grizzled heart. If “Warrior” is not already on your watchlist, it should be.
“Midnight Run” (1988)
“Midnight Run” is not just a noted favorite film of “The Accountant 2” star Ben Affleck’s. It is also a perfect companion film to that sequel. Directed by Martin Brest, “Midnight Run” follows a bounty hunter (Robert De Niro) who is hired to transport an in-hiding accountant (Charles Grodin) from New York City to Los Angeles. Along the way, De Niro’s Jack has to try to outsmart the pissed-off mob bosses and FBI agents who want to capture Grodin’s Jonathan themselves. An unlikely friendship forms between the two men, and while it is more of a straightforward comedy than “The Accountant 2,” “Midnight Run” has all of the action that fans of the former film could possibly want. It also packs the same earned, surprising emotional punch.
“Lethal Weapon” (1987)
This one should not come as much of a surprise. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) may not actually be brothers in 1987’s “Lethal Weapon,” but their unpolished-vs-professional dynamic brilliantly mirrors the one shared by Affleck’s Christian and Bernthal’s Braxton in “The Accountant 2.” Both films are extremely effective, action-packed thrill rides as well, and they share the same lighthearted sense of humor. Directed by Richard Donner and written by “The Nice Guys” filmmaker Shane Black, “Lethal Weapon” is a buddy-cop dramedy thats influence can be felt even on films like “The Accountant 2,” despite it focusing on characters who operate on the other side of the law.
“Taken” (2008)
“Taken” has none of the comedic elements that “The Accountant 2” does, and it is a strikingly darker film. It does not have the same, unlikely-partners dynamic at the center of it, either. The film follows an ex-CIA officer (Liam Neeson) who sets out on a quest to save his daughter (Maggie Grace) and hunt down her Albanian human trafficker kidnappers. “Taken,” in other words, addresses some of the same social issues as “The Accountant 2.” Like that latter film, this iconic, oft-quoted 2008 thriller also offers moviegoers the rare, fantastical pleasure of getting to watch a well-trained vigilante bring justice to some of the most despicable criminals imaginable.
“Hell or High Water” (2016)
If “The Accountant 2” has left you in the mood for other, stirring and thrilling crime movies, then look no further than “Hell or High Water.” This 2016 drama from director David Mackenzie and writer Taylor Sheridan follows two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) who commit a series of daring bank heists in order to raise enough money to save their family ranch. The longer their crime spree goes on, however, the closer two determined Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) get to catching them. Soulful and elegantly made, “Hell or High Water” is a propulsive, contemplative thriller that does not make a single misstep.
“The Sisters Brothers” (2018)
A wildly underrated dramedy, director Jacques Audiard’s “The Sisters Brothers” is a no-nonsense Western about the importance of family, especially in a world that is brimming with brutal, intentional and incidental violence. Based on a novel by Patrick deWitt, the film centers on Eli and Charlie Sisters (John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix), a pair of assassin brothers, who set out in pursuit of a private detective (Jake Gyllenhaal) and a scientist (Riz Ahmed) who have concocted a plan to get rich quick mining gold together. The film flew under the radar when it was originally released seven years ago, but it is well worth your time. Not only is it a rewarding and engaging thriller, but it also has a shockingly tender heart not at all unlike the one at the center of “The Accountant 2.”
“Wolfs” (2024)
Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck just make sense as a screen duo, and that is what makes “The Accountant 2” so enjoyable. The same is true of George Clooney and Brad Pitt in “Wolfs.” This low-key Apple TV+ crime comedy from “Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts follows two nameless criminal fixers who are forced against their will to work together to resolve the same problem. Over the course of one long, winding night, the two end up relating to each other in surprising ways, all while fighting desperately to hold onto their lives and professional reputations. More off-beat and less open-hearted than “The Accountant 2,” “Wolfs” will satisfy any viewer interested in spending a few hours watching two movie stars shoot bullets and crack jokes together.
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