“Chihuahua” Scoots Over, “Max Payne” Rules Box Office

“Beverly Hills Chihuahua” lost the No. 1 spot it maintained at the North American box office these past two weeks as Twentieth Century Fox released its video-game-inspired action film “Max Payne.”
Walt Disney Pictures family film “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” enjoyed a friendly two consecutive weekends at the top of the North American box office as audiences appeared to be in the mood for some light peaceful laughs in the first half of October, but this has now changed.
“Max Payne,” based on the popular video game of the same name, starring Mark Wahlberg in the title role and Mila Kunis as a literal femme fatale, earned $18 million in ticket sales during its first three days of availability in theaters. “Chihuahua” was no longer a priority as the action film rose to the top spot and the pooch comedy slipped to No. 2 with $11.2 million. Second place is not bad for “Chihuahua” though as its total has now raised to $69.1 million.
“Max Payne” tells the story of an FBI agent who seeks vengeance on the people who brutally murdered his wife and infant child. He becomes allies with a stone cold assassin named Mona Sax (Kunis) and their story evolves so that the film earns its PG-13 rating for violence including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language.
The videogame adaptation did not impress film critics, receiving 17% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Third and fourth place both went to debuts. Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” earned $11.1 million for Fox Searchlight, settling at No. 3. The film, based on the director’s novel of the same name, stars Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.
Lionsgate’s “W.,” the George W. Bush biopic directed by Oliver Stone, opened at No. 4 with $10.6 million. The film stars Josh Brolin in the title role, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, James Cromwell as George H. W. Bush, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney and Scott Glenn, Ellen Burstyn, Ioan Gruffudd, and Jeffrey Wright in other roles.
According to studio polls, 55 percent of moviegoers who turned up to see “W.” called themselves liberals, another 31 percent considered themselves moderates and a modest 14 percent said they were conservatives.
Dreamworks/Paramount’ action thriller “Eagle Eye” earned another $7.3 million in its fourth week, settling for fifth place. The film, directed by D. J. Caruso, stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan.