"Safe House" breaks in

Cinema Online

Showtimes

News

Writer: Elaine Ewe

Ryan Reynolds is wary and in disbelief about their sudden box office lead over "The Vow".

21 Feb – After opening at second place, Daniel Espinosa's Hollywood debut "Safe House" has managed to edge past the diabetic-inducing film "The Vow" to grab the lead in last weekend's North American box office (16 to 19 Feb). Despite grossing a total less than that of "The Vow", with US$ 78.1 million, the film ranks second among Denzel Washington movies behind "American Gangster" and looks set to easily exceed US$ 100 million, which will mark it as the fourth Denzel movie ever to reach that level. In second place is last week's first, the romance drama starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, about a man who tries to win his wife's heart all over again when she develops amnesia. Coming in third is Nicholas Cage's "Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance", the sequel to the blazing anti-hero film, which is a disappointing decline for the weekend just gone.

However, it is a different story in Malaysia, for "Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance" managed to ride up to the top spot in its opening week. This time, Cage's "Ghost Rider" has to save a boy whom the Devil is trying to possess. Following this, the Malaysian-Singaporean joint production "The Wedding Diary" falls to second place, while in third place sits another film made close to home, "Hantu Dalam Botol Kicap" by Azhari Mohd. Zain.

In Singapore, the hype for "Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance" is equally as strong, which saw the movie lassoing top spot here as well. Meanwhile, the Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington action thriller "Safe House" may not be winning praises, but it is definitely maintaining a solid pace by sitting in second spot for another week. Coming in third is the Taiwanese feature, "Love", a romance drama revolving around eight different people by Niu Cheng-ze.

In Malaysia, other new releases over the weekend were, "Chantek", "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (IMAX 3D)", "The Descendants", "Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Eppadi", "The Iron Lady", "Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal", "Romancing In Thin Air", "Ek Deewana Tha" and sneak previews for "This Means War".

On the other hand, other releases in Singapore were, "Albert Nobbs", "Moneyball", and "The Iron Lady".

Box office takings for the weekend just gone (16 February - 19 February 2012)
Malaysia 1) Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance 2) The Wedding Diary 3) Hantu Dalam Botol Kicap 4) Man On A Ledge 5) Safe House 6) Romancing In Thin Air 7) This Means War 8) Beauty And The Beast 3D 9) Chronicle 10) Journey 2: The Mysterious Island	Singapore 1) Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance 2) Safe House 3) Love 4) Underworld Awakening 5) The Iron Lady 6) The Wedding Diary 7) Chronicle 8) We Not Naughty 9) J. Edgar 10) Star Wars Episode 1: Phantom Menace 3D