Feb 2 2009Liam Neeson Kicks the Crap Out of Everyone
Your box office report, sirs and madams:
1. Taken - $24.6 million. Now you know: never take anything from Liam Neeson.
2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop - $14 million. I'm starting to think Kevin James might have a shot at stealing the Blockbuster Comedy Go-To Fat Guy crown. Jack Black, watch your back.
3. The Uninvited - $10.5 million, barely beating a three-week-old movie about a hotel that is for dogs.
4. Hotel for Dogs - A mere $8.7 million, keeping its total gross a distant second to the other recent movie about an orphaned genius inventor named Bruce.
5. Gran Torino - $8.6 million. The eighth week of an old racist man drama easily beat a new Renee Zellweger romantic comedy (8th). That just blew up the Hollywood system.
Weekend Box Office Results [Box Office Mojo]
Reader Comments
1. THE FIRST MAN - February 2, 2009 2:32 PM
YES YES YES I AM FIRSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK IT.
2. ricky - February 2, 2009 2:34 PM
you suck it donnie.
3. Camille - February 2, 2009 2:59 PM
Is "Taken" just out in the US ? Here in France, it's been out for about a year, we're actually at DVD stage. Not that it makes a difference : this movie was mostly a fail in France.
4. what? - February 2, 2009 3:48 PM
Liam Neeson's always cool when he kicks the crap out of everyone, but thank god that horrible fatass didn't make as much money
5. Ronan - February 2, 2009 4:37 PM
God I loved taken. The best bit is where, speaking in English, talking to a group of Lithuanian, or some other dastardly eastern European gangsters, in Paris, posing as the head of french intelligence with a business card, tricks them with an Irish accent.
6. what? - February 2, 2009 5:32 PM
@5
my kind of movie
7. Faceglazer - February 2, 2009 5:39 PM
Taken and Gran Torino, both more than just good films, beyond expectations.
8. Nick - February 2, 2009 5:50 PM
All the ridiculous unbelieveabiltiy of Taken aside, it was a badass movie and deserves that spot...especially against most of what's up there.
9. Rebel664 - February 2, 2009 7:33 PM
I want acquire all of Liam Neeson skills to kick ass, i hope the make Taken 2
In Mexico the movie came out aroun July-Ago 08 the dvd is already out, why did it so long to get to the US???
10. Insatiable Peter - February 2, 2009 11:26 PM
Yeah, yeah. That Gran Torino character is not racist. He hates the disintegration of a values-based society that looks out for and respects one another, made evident by his hatred for his own family more than anyone. His harsh words add a complexity to the depth of the character, but he harbors no hatred toward anyone based on the color of their skin.
11. Joe - February 2, 2009 11:51 PM
"Taken" is just out in the US; yes, it was out in the Old World and Dingoland last year.
That said, it's really good - I think it will have great word of mouth. Very entertaining if you take it for what it is. Better than 90% of movies that get released. It's nice to see a regular old thriller that doesn't have a bunch fake wire fighting and million explosions. The other thing - the movie is tight (90-ish minutes), and packs a lot in.
Maybe the re-cut down to PG-13 from R is what made it work; I usually think that kills a movie, but in this case, it may have helped. I still can't believe they have torture scenes in PG-13 movies...
I guess maybe it was a fail in France is because it did not have an uncut
9 minute rape scene ala "Irreversible". I supposed if the daughter got buggered by the sheik (who looks like he belonged on the set of "Dune"), maybe the Frogs would have like it.
Of course, the real reason it failed in France is that is takes place in Paris, and shows the French police to be corrupt and allow crime and sex trade/slavery. Frenchmen have a hard time seeing themselves as "bad guys", esp. to when the American come over and cleans up. (Note to Frenchy: It's only a movie.)
12. sully - February 3, 2009 2:14 PM
@11 -- The guys who wrote the movie are French so... yeah
PS, Taken is bad ass
13. browncoat - February 3, 2009 3:55 PM
Who knew that Liam Neeson could kick ass without the aid of either a lightsaber or a rapier...