ROTTEN TOMATOES: "Sahara" Overtakes "Sin" at the Ticket Counter

"Sahara" Overtakes "Sin" at the Ticket Counter

by Scott Weinberg | April 11, 2005

Box Office Mojo shares this weekend's ticket sales, and it seems that Breck Eisner's "Sahara" was the hot new ticket. The Matthew McConaughey adventure flick grossed approximately $18.5 million in just over 3,100 theaters. Dropping to second place was Dimension's somewhat controversial "Sin City," which managed to pull in just over $14m in its second weekend. Debuting at third place was the Drew Barrymore rom-com "Fever Pitch," which made about $13m at 3,200 venues.A virtual tie for fourth place saw "Guess Who" and "Beauty Shop" earn about $7.1m each, and fifth place went to "Robots," which has now grossed over $110m to date. Next Friday sees only one new wide release ("The Amityville Horror"), so you can expect to see several of these flicks on the chart next Sunday. For box office reports that are a whole lot more concise than mine, take a quick trip over to Box Office Mojo.

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(1-11 of 11 posts) | Reply

Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 11 2005 02:35 PM

I was expecting Sahara to do a bit more because of all the marketing behind it. I can't believe The Pacifier passed $100M this weekend. Saved Vin Diesel's career. Originally, I thought it would be the nail in the coffin for him, but what a surprise - saved by a family comedy.

(Reply to this)

Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 11 2005 03:01 PM

[b]Oh yeah...[/b]
...Kung Fu Hustle did amazing business over the weekend. In just seven theaters, it made about $300K, a per theater average of $40K-plus! That's like 8 times that of Sahara's.

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jeanfc writes:
on Apr 11 2005 04:23 PM

I just hope that Rotten Tomatoes will stop posting box office predictions that don't really pan-out. Fever Pitch apparently got better reviews, and Sahara was poo-pooed all week.

The end results proved everyone wrong - can't ciritcs just takr a break and wait until the weekend is over?

(Reply to this)

Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 11 2005 06:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#821289)
We actually don't post box office predictions. You must be talking about the critical consensus reports? Like I said in another post, they're just a summary of critics' reviews, and have no relation to the box office.

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sideburnz writes:
on Apr 12 2005 03:58 AM

In reply to this comment (#821289)
well some people like to read what critics think about a movie before they go see it. so they know wether it is a good idea to waste their money or not.

(Reply to this)

jeanfc writes:
on Apr 12 2005 05:48 AM

I am just tired of all the predictions and comments that are beginning to polute this web site. So many films are shot down or praised even before they open in theaters. Look at War of the Worlds - it might good, or bad, but it won't open until 3 months from now...

How much ink was spent on Spanglish? All the "critics" were raving over it - since when do critics reflect what the general public thinks? Jezz, The Pacifier killed it.

Anywho, that's it. Just my feelings.

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Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 12 2005 01:32 PM

In reply to this comment (#821292)
That's just movie fandom. People like to talk about upcoming movies.

As for Spanglish, critics weren't raving over it. It had a mixed reaction - a 50% on the Tomatometer.

Reviews are just another tool you can use to decide whether or not you want to see a particular movie - like trailers, the stars involved, etc. If you have a strong urge to see a particular movie, you're gonna see it no matter what.

In general, critics don't have much of an effect on the opening weekend, but according to a very comprehensive USA Today report using Rotten Tomatoes data, they found that well reviewed films do tend to stay in theaters much longer. Well reviewed tend to have better word of mouth. Sideways and Million Dollar Baby are great examples of this. Both have been playing in theaters for the last 4-6 months!

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renodc writes:
on Apr 12 2005 08:06 PM

Personally I try not to let the professional critics influence my film choices because they do tend to be biased for and against certain genres, directors, writers and actors. Most of the time I think many of them have already made up their minds whether they will like or dislike a film before they even see it. I'm sure many critics had already gotten it in their heads that Sahara was going to suck and nothing they saw on the screen was going to change that.
I saw Sahara and although it wasn't excellent, I had a good time watching it and felt it deserved much better than the 42% on the Tomatometer.

The last time I let the critics influence me was on Million Dollar Baby, and honestly I thought it was average at best. I definitely didn't think it was worth an Oscar, nor a 91% Tomatometer reading.

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topher4 writes:
on Apr 15 2005 04:55 AM

I haven't seen Sahara yet, but it looks like National Treasure 2 to me. However about the critics...I don't really pay attention to them. Sometimes they are right, but most of the time when they say a film is bad to me it ends up beign enjoyable. I agree I think critics are bias against certain genres. Its rare that anything other then a drama gets any kind of recognition at all. Don't get me wrong you have your other film genres that sneak in there and get recognition once in a while.

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jeanpaul writes:
on Apr 15 2005 10:57 AM

In reply to this comment (#821291)
[b]Why? Can't they make up thier OWN minds?[/b]
Wow, there've been so many movie's critics trashed, and I came to love-- and so many which the critics glorified and worshiped-- which were nothing short of awful (for me). So, I'm gonna let the critics decide... for themselves. I think I don't need 'em to make up my own mind.

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getluv writes:
on Apr 16 2005 01:40 AM

the only time i listen to critics, is when arthouse films are involved/ -and thats it.

I have loved Miss Congeniality 2, Be Cool, Beauty Shop and Meet the Fockers. But they just get belted by the critics. i think critics should take every movie for itself, and for get originality and comparing them too the classics. Cause going to the cinema for me is about having fun.

Well i know its too early to tell but 100% for the interpreter is deserved, i saw it a few days ago and it is excellent. Now this is a movie for both critics and the average audience.

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