Box-Office Update: Things certainly fast and furious at no.1

The big boys really came out this weekend at the Box-Office as did the biggest April opening of all time, Fast and Furious featuring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster collected a massive $72.5 million over just three days. The fourth in the series has been greeted with a predictably tepid critical reaction (though better reviews generally than any of the other sequels) but for Universal and director Justin Lin the massive cash haul should make that a minor quibble.
In second last week’s no.1 Monsters vs. Aliens took a further $33 million for a very respectable $106 million total. The film has generally received kind reviews and should be able to clear $130 million in the domestic market. Horror The Haunting in Connecticut fell a place to third, taking its total to $37 million with a further $9.5 million having been added in the last few days. The movie wasn’t loved by critics but it appears audiences are having a decent time with it; it enjoyed a far less demeaning second week drop off than many of its genre contemporaries. $50-54 million seems like the likely mileage this one is packing.
Knowing took $8.13 million for a $58 million total at no.4 after three weeks, the Sci-Fi picture likely to rake in around $70 million by the end. In fifth I Love you, Man continued an encouraging run of form taking another $7.9 million for a decent $50 million total. Critics generally like the comedy a lot. They were equally impressed with Adventureland but audiences were not, the film debuts at no.6 with a disappointing $6 million. Analysts never had it pegged to beat Fast and Furious but most had expected the film to clinch at least $10 million. This pretty much shows that whilst one film may over perform massively in accordance to predictions, someone else will always underperform as a consequence. In this case sadly, it seems the better picture lost.
Duplicity was at no.7 with $4.5 million for a $33 million total whilst in eighth Race to Witch Mountain felt the bite of M VS. A, taking only $3.5 million. It has accumulated $59 million so far. Dismally reviewed actioner 12 Rounds was at no.9 taking it’s tally to $10 million with a further $2 million the weekend past. Finally Sunshine Cleaning scored $1.8 million for a $5 million total.