In the action thriller “The Accountant 2,” Ben Affleck is back as the autistic savant money launderer and crime fighter…just go with it…who’s trying to solve a murder. He recruits his hired assassin brother Braxton, played by Jon Bernthal, to help out. Yes, these are the GOOD guys. It’s silly, overlong and shamefully violent, but the playful interchange between these brothers helps “The Accountant 2″ add up to a mildly diverting mess.
Don’t be fooled by the ads. The 50s-era melodrama “On Swift Horses,” an adaptation of a novel by Kansas native Shannon Pufahl, is not a romance between characters played by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi. It’s actually about two gay romantic entanglements. Edgar-Jones, her husband Will Poulter and ne’er do well brother-in-law Elordi leave Kansas for California and Vegas and take on secret lives that include risky gambling and dangerous forbidden passions. “On Swift Horses” is a beautifully shot and atmospheric production from director Daniel Minahan that is in some ways reminiscent of Old Hollywood, but its disjointed storylines never quite gel into a satisfying whole.
The only thing remotely authentic about the Netflix action thriller “Havoc” is its title. It plays havoc with logic and the laws of physics. Talented actors Tom Hardy, Forest Whitaker and Timothy Olyphant are wasted in this violent, over-the-top melodrama about crooked cops, Asian gangs and moral ambiguity, from writer/director Gareth Evans. At least the stunt work is impressive, but it’s poorly filmed. “Havoc” is an unintentionally funny bloodbath.