In this photo providedby Warner Bros., Jodie Foster stars as Erica Bain in the psychological thriller 'The Brave One'. - AP LOS ANGELES (Reuters):
Jodie Foster blew away the box office competition with her vigilante thriller The Brave One, but the poorly reviewed film's performance paled against her recent efforts.
According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, the Death Wish - style movie sold about $14 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during its first three days of release.
Among her recent headlining releases, Flightplan opened to $25 million in 2005, while The Panic Room debuted with a career-best $30 million in 2002.
Foster was not the only Oscar laureate to underwhelm movie-goers. Billy Bob Thornton opened at No. 3 with the comedy Mr. Woodcock, another film rooted in revenge. Garnering even worse reviews than The Brave One, it earned $9.1 million.
The Brave One was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, and Mr. Woodcocks by New Line Cinema. In a climate of diminished expectations, the Time Warner Inc.-owned studios said they were satisfied with their respective films.
Last weekend's champion, the Western remake 3:10 to Yuma, slipped to No. 2 with $9.2 million. After 10 days, the Russell Crowe-Christian Bale vehicle has earned a modest $28.6 million, having cost about $55 million to make. It was distributed by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Rankings could change when final data are issued on Monday.
The top 10 contained one other new release, the South Korean monster movie Dragon Wars, which failed to scare up business with a $5.4 million opening at No. 4.
'PRETENTIOUS FANTASY'
The Brave One stars Foster as a New York radio journalist who is seriously beaten in Central Park, and decides to clean up the city one thug at a time. Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan directed, and Terrence Howard plays a cop on her trail. The Baltimore Sun described it a a "pretentious payback fantasy."
As is usually the case with Foster movies, women made up the majority of the audience (55 per cent). Almost three-quarters were aged over 30, and 80 per cent of viewers termed the film "excellent" or "very good," the studio said.
Foster, 44, who averages a headlining role in a major studio release about once every two years, won Oscars for The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs.
At the box office
| 1. The Brave One | $ 14.0 m |
| 2. 3:10 to Yuma | $ 9.2 m |
| 3. Mr. Woodcock | $ 9.1 m |
| 4. Dragon Wars | $ 5.4 m |
| 5. Superbad | $ 5.2 m |
| 6. Halloween | $ 5.0 m |
| 7. The Bourne Ultimatum | $ 4.2 m |
| 8. Balls of Fury | $ 3.3 m |
| 8. Rush Hour 3 | $ 3.3 m |
| 10. Mr. Bean's Holiday | $ 2.7 m
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