South Africa’s box office: Hitman’s Bodyguard is a hit, man

Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds-led action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard has jumped to the top of the charts this weekend in a spectacular debut. The film tells of protection agent Michael Bryce who is forced to look after notorious hitman Darius Kincaid, and it proved so popular it ousted Girls Trip from its two-week-long seat at number one.

But how did the other films fare this week? (18 to 20 August)

It was the battle of the babies in third and fourth as Baby Driver and Son of Bigfoot went head to head for the last spot in the top three — and it’s no surprise Bigfoot won out against Ansel Elgort, who almost anyone could take in a fight. The animated film held firm in third place, forcing Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver to drop down into fourth.

The all-female reboot of Chucky (not really) Anabelle opened in fifth spot. The film has received dismal reviews, but it did allegedly get a hysterical woman to punch herself in the face, so who needs critics anyway?

The biggest drop of the week goes to none other than Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (review) after it sunk three spots from fourth to seventh. Thanks to both the newcomers and Despicable Me 3’s refusal to budge more than one spot to sixth, the critically-acclaimed war epic unceremoniously bombed in its fourth week on the chart.

Finally, Katheryn Bigelow’s Detroit failed to even grace the top ten this week, though it did only open in 29 cinemas nationwide. The period drama has an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it drew concern from critics who deemed the racially-charged violence “gratuitous“, “numbing” and “strangely disengaged from the cultural and systemic forces that led to police brutality in 1967.”

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

1. The Hitman’s Bodyguard (Incl. 4DX)
2. Girls Trip
3. Son of Bigfoot (Incl. 3D)
4. Baby Driver (Incl. 4DX)
5. Annabelle
6. Despicable Me 3 (Incl. 3D)
7. Dunkirk (Incl. IMAX)
8. Captain Underpants (Incl. 3D)
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Incl. 3D, 4DX & IMAX)
10. Krotoa

The above list was provided by Ster Kinekor Entertainment.