HOLLYWOOD - Once upon time there was an action-packed film trilogy whose third installment happened to take the box office in its opening weekend.Director Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico about a Mexican gunslinger named El Mariachi hell bent on revenge debuted at No. 1 on the box office chart this weekend with $24 million*, far outshining its predecessors and becoming the third biggest September opener ever. Only Sweet Home Alabama, which opened last year at $35 million, and Rush Hour, which opened in 1998 at $33 million, tops Mexico.
The stylistically violent trilogy has come a long way since its 1993 original independent film El Mariachi, which became a studied classic in the indie film world for the way Rodriguez, a student at the time, shot the film with a handheld 16mm camera on a shoestring budget. El Mariachi went on to win several awards, including the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, but opened in theaters with a measly $312,528. Luckily, with clout (and a major studio) behind him, Rodriguez was able to make the higher-profiled sequel Desperado, starring Antonio Banderas, in 1995; it opened at $7.9 million.
Two other newcomers to this weekend's movie fare made it near the top of the box office list. The griftin' Matchstick Men opened in second place with $13.2 million, making it the second best opener for its star Nicolas Cage in the last five years (Cage's WWII drama Windtalkers took in $14.5 million last year). As well, the horrific, flesh-eating Cabin Fever premiered in the third spot with $8.4 million.
The childish Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star dropped out of its first place slot from last week to come in at No. 4 with $5 million, while the ever-present Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl rounded out the top five with $4.6 million.
The indie Lost In Translation, a brilliant character study about two Americans finding each other in Tokyo, starring Bill Murray, debuted in limited theaters and impressively managed to rake in nearly $1 million. Thankfully, fueled by the bigger numbers, the overall box office jumped nearly 46 percent from last week's dismal numbers.
THE TOP TEN
Sony Pictures' R-rated blood- and- bullets fest Once Upon a Time in Mexico came out on top with an ESTIMATED $24 million in 3,282 theaters. Its $7,313 per theater average was the highest of any film playing wide this week.
The film continues the revenge exploits of El Mariachi, this time called upon by a corrupt CIA agent to help thwart an assassination attempt.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, it stars Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek and Willem Dafoe.
Warner Bros.' PG-13-rated swindler Matchstick Men took second place with an ESTIMATED $13.2 million in 2,711 theaters ($4,902 per theater).
The film follows an obsessive-compulsive con artist who meets his 14-year-old daughter for the first time; she ends up changing his life forever.
Directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman.
Lions Gate's R-rated Cabin Fever sufficiently grossed everyone out in the third spot with an ESTIMATED $8.4 million in 2,087 theaters ($4,049 per theater).
Five friends isolated in a cabin contract a deadly flesh-eating virus and are forced to fight the disease--or fight off their closest friends.
Directed by Eli Roth, it stars Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, Joey Kern, Cerina Vincent and James Debello.
Paramount Picture's PG-13 rated comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star slipped off its No. 1 perch of last week to fall to No. 4 with an ESTIMATED $5 million (-25%) in 2,083 theaters (+57 theaters; $2,400 per theater). The film about a grown-up child star trying to make a comeback has earned $12.8 million so far.
Directed by Sam Weisman, it stars David Spade, Jon Lovitz, Alyssa Milano, Doris Roberts, Craig Bierko and Mary McCormack.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.