Dwayne Johnson still a Rock at theatres

By Keith Williams

Johnson rocks in Witch Mountain

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/15/09 — Sending shockwaves through the box-office ether, a pair of teenage extra-terrestrials and an ex-wrestler once known as The Rock knocked the Holy Bible of graphic novels from its perch after one draughty week at the top by capturing an estimated $25 million at 3187 spaceships. Last House on the Left, like Race to Witch Mountain, another 70′s remake prodded out of retirement, terrorised $14.6 million from 2401 domestic killzones, leaving the latest sex-awakening comedy Miss March comatose in 1742 beds with $2.3 million.

Originally made back in 1975, with a sequel in 1978 featuring Bette Davis, as well as TV versions in 85 and 92, Witch Mountain holds a special place in juvenile hearts, especially those who rediscovered it a few years later on that new-fangled device called a VCR. The trailer for the upgrade seems pleasant enough, Dwayne Johnson seems pleasant enough too, proving to be more popular in family films than the usual crunch-a-thons where he first made his name. Nothing new here, other than a good safe film for parents to take their kids to, and not be embarrassed by, which is some sort of miracle these days.

Pummelled into second place, Warner Bros mega-hyped Watchmen surprised no-one by evaporating in its second weekend by an unfortunate 67.3% to grasp $18 million. Fans themselves have had mixed reactions to this brave but doomed effort to punch substance and politics into the superhero genre, whilst mainstream audiences stayed away, put off by the R rating, the fact they’d never heard of it before, the running length, and the no-name cast list. Plus the bleakness and density of a story even projectionists couldn’t tell you what it was about after multiple but diminishing screenings. A shame as a lot of talent went into making this unusual anti-hero movie, but slavishness to the original text and an air of pessimism stifling everything did it in. Blu-ray viewers might save it somewhat in the not-too-distant future (like, tomorrow) from bargain-bin hell, but for now, Watchmen sadly has no Iron.

The other 70′s remake of the week should have been left there. Last House on the Left, a retelling of one of the most despicable movies ever made, starring Tony Goldwyn (has he no shame?), brought in a healthy enough figure for a decidedly unhealthy enterprise. One of those films that Funny Games no doubt holds up as an example of sick tastes amongst thrill-starved audiences, at the time was claimed to be an allegory of the Vietnam War, being inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring. Yeah, right, like the new version is an allegory of Iraq. How ever good this is, how ever cleverly the original has been neutered, it still panders to unhealthy minds and gives horror a bad name.

Feeling like Groundhog Day with the rest of the top ten, Taken snoozed at no 4 in the charts with a barely discernable 9.3% drop for $6.6 million, Madea stayed in jail despite a 39.9% fall for $5.1 million, Slumdog Millionaire continued getting enough questions right to win the no 6 position with $5 million, while Paul Blart, everyone’s favorite mall cop slipped by 27.8% for $3.1 million. The last three positions in the chart went to He’s Just Not That Into You, dropping 27.8% to $2.9 million, Coraline falling by 18.5% to $2.6 million, leaving the top ten exit door opening (and probably shutting next week) for Miss March, which most people it would appear from the figures did.

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Race to Witch Mountain (Buena Vista)
$25.0 million | 3,187 | $25.0 million | 1

2. Watchmen (Warner Bros.)
$18.1 million | 3,611 | $86.0 million | 2

3. The Last House on the Left (2009) (Universal)
$14.7 million | 2,401 | $14.7 million | 1

4. Taken (Fox)
$6.7 million | 2,858 | $126.8 million | 7

5. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail (Lionsgate)
$5.1 million | 2,203 | $83.2 million | 4
Weekend Estimates courtesy boxofficeguru.com and boxofficemojo.com