`Quantum of Solace` tops the box-office on New Zealand debut

02-Dec-2008 • Quantum Of Solace

It was inevitable really. Despite the mixed reviews, Daniel Craig's latest outing as James Bond in Quantum of Solace followed the UK and USA trend and kicked some serious New Zealand box office bottom.

Taking in over twice as much as Ghost Town , the Ricky Gervais comedy, Bond shot straight to number 1 in the chart with a cool $1.5 million dollars, reports TVNZ.

It was the only new release this week and you'd suspect many distributors would think twice about putting any fare up against the box office behemoth that is the Bond franchise.

But it's also a timely warning to critics, that come the big event films a la Bond, there's a pretty solid fan base ready to pounce on the latest - whatever the reviews may say.

It's interesting to note that while the majority of the Top 10 films suffered a 50% loss in takings (no doubt in part thanks to the scorcher of the weekend we had), the overall box office take was up around 136%.

There were two non movers in the top 10 this week - both Children of the Silk Road and Young@Heart held their places (No9 and no5 respectively).

It means that Young@Heart becomes the longest survivor in the top 10, notching up 6 weeks and nearly $900,000.

Just outside the Top 10, glorious doco Earth is having a bit of a resurgence. The Patrick Stewart narrated flick's muscling back in on our hard earned cash and is the longest survivor on the top 20 overall, having now been out for some 15 weeks.

It'll be interesting to see whether Four Holidays manages to repeat its US Thanksgiving weekend feat in America on its release in New Zealand this week - although you'd doubt Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn's latest will come anywhere close to beating Bond this week.

And you'd bet there'll be a struggle between the Bond franchise and the absurdly popular High School Musical 3 which also hits cinemas this week. GO WILDCATS!

Also released is horror Quarantine, a remake of Spanish horror [REC].