'Chappie' comes in number one at the box office, but is slammed by critics
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
鈥�District 9鈥� director Neill Blomkamp鈥檚 new movie 鈥淐happie鈥� was number one at the box office this past weekend, but the amount of money it grossed was lower than his past films and critics responded unfavorably to the new sci-fi movie.聽
According to the , 鈥淐happie鈥� took in more than $13 million this weekend but that was the lowest amount one of Blomkamp鈥檚 films has grossed on its opening weekend 鈥� 鈥淓lysium,鈥� which came out in 2013, took in more than $29 million and 2009鈥檚 鈥淒istrict 9鈥� grossed more than $37 million.聽
In addition, critics were not won over by the film. The movie currently holds a score of 40 out of 100 on the review aggregator website . critic Claudia Puig wrote in one of the more positive reviews that 鈥淐happie聽is meant to inspire questions about what it means to be human, and at times it does. However, director and co-writer聽Neill Blomkamp doesn't explore its intriguing premise deeply enough鈥� 聽The best thing is the title character鈥� Blomkamp has loaded the film with caricatures, particularly the villainous sorts.鈥澛�
鈥淔ocus,鈥� the movie about two con artists starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, came in second this weekend at the box office, grossing $10 million, while the new movie 鈥淭he Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,鈥� the sequel to 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,鈥� came in third, taking in more than $8 million.聽
Another of this weekend鈥檚 new releases, the Vince Vaughn comedy 鈥淯nfinished Business,鈥� had an even lower score on than 鈥淐happie鈥� and did even worse at the box office 鈥� it currently holds a score of 32 out of 100 and came in at tenth place. 鈥淏usiness鈥� co-stars Dave Franco and Tom Wilkinson as Vaughn鈥檚 character鈥檚 co-workers. In the comedy, the trio embark on an adventure-filled business trip.聽
However, there is one good box office story. The 2014 Oscar-nominated film 鈥淎merican Sniper,鈥� which was first released this past December, recently became the top-grossing movie domestically of 2014. 鈥淪niper鈥� came in at number 11 this past weekend at the domestic box office, according to the box office company , grossing more than $4 million. 鈥淪niper鈥� has now passed 鈥淭he Hunger Games: Mockingjay 鈥� Part 1."
