HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 28 -- The second weekend of 'Mortal Kombat' easily topped a lukewarm national box office with $10.3 million at 2,628 theaters during the Friday-Sunday period. 'Mortal Kombat,' inspired by the ultra-violent video game of the same name, lost more than 55 percent of its opening weekend audience of $23.3 million -- a typical performance by many action films targeted at teenage audiences -- and has grossed over $43 million in 10 days. With Labor Day weekend coming and little new competition, the martial arts fest could take in another $10 million this weekend and end its run with nearly $80 million. Overall, the box office took in about $70 million, leaving it nearly $5 million short of the same weekend last year. Columbia's opening of 'Desperado' led the rest of the pack with a respectable $7.9 million at 2,027 theaters. The violence-laden remake of Robert Rodriguez' low-budget 'El Mariachi' may challenge 'Kombat' this weekend due to strong word of mouth and fairly positive reviews. Disney's school drama 'Dangerous Minds' in its third weekend finished a close third with $7.8 million at 1,578 theaters to push it past $46 million, underscoring both the star power of Michelle Pfeiffer and the draw of a popular soundtrack. 20th Century Fox's third weekend of nostalgia romance 'A Walk in the Clouds' landed in fourth with $5.5 million at 1,750 theaters, followed by MGM's debut of horror veteran Clive Barker's 'Lord of Illusions' with $4.8 million at 1,530 theaters. 'Desperado' and 'Lord of Illusions' were the only two of seven new films to crack the top 10.
Also opening were Warner Bros.' 'The Amazing Panda Adventure' with $2.4 million at 1,692 theaters, Columbia's 'Beyond Rangoon' with $2 million at 802 screens, Savoy's rap-fest 'The Show' with $1.5 million at 336 theaters, Savoy's comedy 'Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde' with $900,782 at 350 screens and Miramax's animated 'Arabian Knight' with $319,723 at 510 theaters. 'Rangoon,' the tale of an American caught in a 1988 Burmese uprising, drew particularly harsh comments from most reviewers and will be the latest summer season disappointment, joining 'Virtusoity,' 'Johnny Mnemonic,' 'Judge Dredd' and 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. ' 'The Show' put up respectable numbers in its limited release and should perform well for the rest of the summer. The last five places in the top 10 were films that have been in release since early August, led by Warner's Southern drama-comedy 'Something to Talk About' with $3.9 million at 1,767 theaters in its fourth weekend. Universal's fourth weekend of 'Babe' came in at No. 7 with $3.7 million at 1,780 screens. Universal's 'Waterworld,' still rising from the depths of a complete financial disaster in its fifth weekend, finished eighth with $3.5 million at 2,097 screens to go past $76 million in 31 days. The most expensive movie ever made, with a reported $175 million price tag, could break even eventually with good foreign and video receipts. Universal's 'Apollo 13' remained in view in its ninth weekend with $2.6 million at 1,482 theaters to approach $158 million. Columbia's fifth weekend of 'The Net' finished 10th with $2.4 million at 1,506 screens and topped 'The Amazing Panda Adventure' by just $953. Columbia's 'The Baby-sitter's Club' nearly vanished in its second weekend with $1.7 million at 1,709 theaters, but Fox's widened release of low-budget comedy 'The Brothers McMullen' performed well with $1.3 million at 272 theaters. 'Mortal Kombat,' 'Dangerous Minds' and 'Desperado' probably will remain at the top of the upcoming Labor Day weekend box office with only two new major releases set to roll out -- TriStar's 'Magic in the Water,' a family-oriented comedy-adventure, and Miramax's 'The Prophecy,' starring Christopher Walken as the leader of a band of renegade angels. Also opening in limited release will be Miramax's spy thriller 'The Innocent,' starring Anthony Hopkins. Weekend gross, number of theaters, total gross, weeks in release:
1. 'Mortal Kombat,' $10.3 million, 2,628, $43.1 million, 2 weeks. 2. 'Desperado,' $7.9 million, 2,027, 1 week. 3. 'Dangerous Minds,' $7.8 million, 1,578, $46.4 million, 3 weeks. 4. 'A Walk in the Clouds,' $5.5 million, 1,750, $31 million, 3 weeks. 5. 'Lord of Illusions,' $4.8 million, 1,530, 1 week. 6. 'Something to Talk About,' $3.9 million, 1,767, $40.1 million, 4 weeks. 7. 'Babe,' $3.7 million, 1,780, $36.8 million, 4 weeks. 8. 'Waterworld,' $3.5 million, 2,097, $76.3 million, 5 weeks. 9. 'Apollo 13,' $2.6 million, 1,482, $157.9 million, 9 weeks. 10. 'The Net,' $2.4 million, 1,506, $42.1 million, 5 weeks. Top per-theater averages:
1. 'The Brothers McMullen,' $4,950. 2. 'Dangerous Minds,' $4,928. 3. 'Mortal Kombat,' $3,923. 4. 'Desperado,' $3,903. 5. 'A Walk in the Clouds,' $3,136.
