'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' wins the box office weekend despite mixed reviews
'Armies' is the third and final film in the 'Hobbit' trilogy. The movies 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' and 'Annie' also opened this weekend, also receiving mixed to poor reviews from critics.
'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' stars Martin Freeman.
Mark Pokorny/Warner Bros./AP
鈥�The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,鈥� the third and (presumably) final film in the 鈥淗obbit鈥� trilogy directed by 鈥�Lord of the Rings鈥� helmer Peter Jackson, dominated the box office over the weekend after being released on Dec. 17.
According to , the film grossed more than $90 million, starting Wednesday. Audience members apparently weren鈥檛 turned away by mixed reviews 鈥� the film currently holds a score of 59 out of 100 on the review aggregator website . The score is better than the first 鈥淗obbit鈥� film, 鈥�,鈥� which currently has a score of 58, but not as good as the score held by the second film, 鈥�,鈥� which has a score of 66.聽
The 鈥淗obbit鈥� films are prequels to the critically acclaimed and high-grossing 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥� films. The 鈥淗obbit鈥� series follows 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥� protagonist Frodo Baggins鈥檚 uncle Bilbo, and tells the story of Bilbo鈥檚 first adventure. The films star 鈥�Fargo鈥� actor Martin Freeman as Bilbo, 鈥淴-Men: Days of Future Past鈥� actor Ian McKellen as the wizard Gandalf, and Richard Armitage of 鈥淩obin Hood鈥� as the dwarf Thorin.
Second place at the box office went to the movie 鈥淣ight at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,鈥� which is the newest entry in the franchise starring Ben Stiller. The film, featuring one of Robin Williams's final performances, as Theodore Roosevelt, and 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� actor Dan Stevens as the knight Lancelot, grossed more than $17 million over the weekend, according to the . 鈥淭omb鈥� was not well received by critics and currently holds a score of 46 at the website Metacritic.聽
The movie musical 鈥淎nnie鈥� opened in third place at the box office, grossing more than $16 million. 鈥淎nnie鈥� was also not well received by critics, with Monitor film critic Peter Rainer giving the movie a C+. He called the movie鈥檚 star Quvenzhan茅聽Wallis 鈥渞adiantly charming鈥� and wrote that 鈥�Jamie Foxx, in the聽Daddy Warbucks role, has a聽touching rapport with her," but that "otherwise the movie is indifferently directed聽and, for better or worse, numbers like 鈥楾omorrow鈥� don鈥檛 exactly bring聽down the house.聽Considering this musical has its roots in Depression-era聽America, Gluck鈥檚 contemporary take on the material is eerily lacking聽in observations about the rich/poor divide in this country. Some original聽songs have rejiggered lyrics and new tunes have been added to the聽original score, none memorable.鈥�