South Africa’s box office: Power Rangers packs a weak punch

Power Rangers was unable to take on the mighty Kong: Skull Island (review) this week, debuting at number two and allowing the reigning champ to keep its top spot for the third week in a row. Despite being abnormally strong, glowing teens, it seems the Power Rangers, like John Wick, are not members you want on your ultimate Superfight team. This giant gorilla just can’t be beat. But how did the other films fare this weekend? (24 to 26 March)

Keeping up with the Kandasamys is hanging tight to its third place spot for its fourth consecutive week — an impressive achievement for a South African film. But while the family comedy has held strong, Kalushi and Jagveld both fell off the charts — the former after two weeks, the latter a mere one. Kampterrein — a comedy about feuding families on holiday at a caravan park — was the only other local film on the chart this week, debuting at a measly tenth position.

After a week on the chart, John Wick: Chapter Two (review) has dropped two places to fourth, ahead of Logan: The Wolverine (review) which was pushed down one spot to fifth. It seems this week there were just too many action blockbusters to compete against.

With an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes (and one reviewer even calling it “a movie that hates itself and its audience”), CHiPS couldn’t find the strength to debut in the top five. Coming in at sixth place, the Dax Sheperd flick couldn’t even sell its homophobic comedy and unlikeable characters to a country that saw Bad Moms and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates debut in second place.

And despite rave reviews, Get Out (review) only managed to crack ninth place in its opening weekend — though considering it’s a low budget genre film, the fact that it even opened on the charts in a foreign country is impressive. I may be biased. Please go watch this film.

Here are ten most-watched movies in SA this past weekend:

1. Kong: Skull Island (Incl. 3D,4DX & Imax)
2. Power Rangers
3. Keeping Up with the Kandasamys
4. John Wick: Chapter Two
5. Logan: The Wolverine (Incl. 4DX & Imax)
6. CHiPs
7. Life
8. Rock Dog (incl. 3D)
9. Get Out
10. Kampterrein

All stats were provided by Ster Kinekor Entertainment.