Russell Crowe No. 2 with $14m, Jason Stratham cranks up just $6.5m
By Keith Williams

Zac Attack with 17 Again from HSMs Efron

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 4/19/09 — It was Zac to the 80′s for this weekend’s raid on well-worn, dusty concepts with Zac Efron’s 17 Again body-swapping an estimated $24 million at 3255 basketball courts. State of Play, the latest no-see from Russell Crowe bullied a weak $14 million from 2803 editorial desks, leaving Jason Statham DOA with Crank: High Voltage failing to revive more than $6.5 million from 2233 heart transplants.

Proving he’s no lightweight teen attraction, Zac Efron escaped the confines of High School Musical to score impressively with this latest remake/redo/rip-off of earlier efforts such as Big, Like Father Like Son and 18 Again. Reviews were generally kinder than you’d expect for something the word “original” fled long ago, but there always seems to be a new generation of kids and their families for whom this long-cherished fantasy of being someone else never fails to attract. Matthew Perry dependably gives strong support, Leslie Mann proves more and more popular with each new comedy she makes, hey, it’s simple, it’s harmless, it’s better than boiling frogs.

Most women on the other hand would prefer to boil Russell Crowe than see any of his movies these days. Body of Lies tanked, as did A Good Year and Cinderella Man, with the only recent hits on his resume, 3.10 to Yuma and American Gangster arguably being ensemble pieces rather than personal star vehicles. A great actor, still unpopular for his offscreen behavior, State of Play, despite a starry supporting cast including Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams, yet again suggests his lack of appeal at the box-office, a tragedy when intelligent thrillers like this deserve better success.

Back in 2006, projectors across the land exploded trying to keep up with the demented and delirious pace of Crank, one of the wilder thrillers of recent times. Unfortunately, its sequel opened to less than its predecessor, despite being just as crazed. Usually Statham’s good for a $12 million opener, so this must be seen, or not given the grosses, as one of his weaker releases. Hopefully DVD sales will rectify that, as they did the first one, though the chance of Crank 3 igniting one’s retinas must now seem pretty distant.

Holding on at no 3 in the top ten, Monsters vs Aliens abducted $12.9 million on a 40.9% back-to-earth trajectory, Hannah Montana, dumped into 4th by fickle-minded tweens plunged 60.8% for $12.6 million, Fast & Furious decelerated by 54.9% for $12.2 million, leaving Observe and Report to drop even further in the nation’s hearts and minds by a whopping 63.2% to just over $4 million. At no 8, Knowing found itself with few now left to discover its secrets, fading 45.9% to $3.4 million, I Love You, Man declined 46.3% to a friendless $3.3 million, leaving the top ten exit door to swing open for The Haunting in Connecticut down by 46.6% to a spiritless £3.1 million.

Weekend Estimates courtesy boxofficemojo.com