“The Accountant”: Best What-If Batman Story EVER

The Accountant may be the Batman film we’ve been waiting for.  I say this because the film has everything you could want in a modern telling of a superhero, and the fight sequences are really good. This is coming from someone who DIDN’T (and really STILL) doesn’t care for the Batfleck.

Director Gavin O’Connor (Miracle, The Americans pilot) did well with this film, aside from the rather messy first 20 minutes.  Maybe one more pass to fine tune the script would have solved some of the issues, but after that, The Accountant REALLY picks up speed and a body count.

We are introduced to Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), a math savant who just happens to be on the autism spectrum and may or may not be a deadly force of nature.  Spoiler- he is.  Wolff and his brother were both trained by their military father from a young age to be able to ‘stand up for themselves’, and needless to say it comes in handy for both.  There are flashbacks to Wolff’s youth, filling in the blanks as needed.

Adult accountant Wolff is brought in to find the fiscal deficit for a large company, something he does most often for gangsters, world wide crime ring leaders, and the occasional government job. The shortcoming was discovered by Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick), which puts her front and center on the “hush” list by the company owners Lamar Black (John Lithgow) and Rita Blackburn (Jean Smart).  Wolff takes a liking to Dana, and ultimately saves her life.

There are some pretty great twists in the story, so I don’t want to ruin those for you audience members who want to see The Accountant cold (without knowing what happens).

Commenting on the Batman thing-  this is the “What If” Bruce wasn’t born rich story.  This is a hero story where he just happens to be high functioning autistic and yet completely capable of beating the living crap out of those who go against his moral code.

He does the accounting for an older couple, ensuring they won’t lose their farm.  You very much get the Ma and Pa Kent vibe, but her name isn’t Martha.  That we know of.  Because that would just be SILLY.  Oh, and did I mention that JK Simmons, who has been recently been cast as Commissioner Gordon in the upcoming Justice League film, plays the head FBI guy tasked with bringing “The Accountant” in for justice?  I mean really, how perfectly Gotham is that?  There is even an Action Comics #1 in Wolff’s private stash of high value property, and I guffawed so loudly in my screening that I was shushed.

SCORE: 8 out of 10, would DEFINITELY see again

Again, aside from the first 20 minutes or so, highly enjoyable espionage film that bridges the gap in Affleck’s characters between Goodwill Hunting and Batman V Superman.  Ok no, I actually did enjoy it, be prepared for headshots galore and almost a Manhunter simplicity to the criminal elements.

The Accountant opens worldwide on Friday, October 14th 2016.