'Rush Hour 3' overtakes North American box-office

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Jackie Chan's cross-cultural action sequel "Rush Hour 3" swept the North American box-office with 50 million dollars in tickets sales according to preliminary figures yesterday.

The third installment of the martial arts and cop comedy, which co-stars Chris Tucker, wooed weekend audiences with its madcap humor and the action follies of its main characters in Paris.

Despite lackluster reviews, in its opening weekend "Rush Hour 3" ousted "The Bourne Ultimatum," another third sequel and fast-paced action thriller, from the top spot, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Starring Matt Damon as amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne, the movie's record-breaking opening last week was the highest ever in August for a North American release and came after a wave of glowing reviews.

"The Bourne Ultimatum" took in 33.6 million dollars in its second weekend, followed by the big-screen adventures of America's most dysfunctional animated family in "The Simpsons Movie," which pulled in 11.1 million dollars.

In fourth place with nine million was "Stardust," a fantasy drama featuring Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes and Peter O'Toole, with nine million.

Disney's "Underdog," a live-action version of the popular animated 1960s television show about a canine superhero, came in fifth with 6.5 million.

Wilting into sixth place was "Hairspray," a makeover of the Broadway musical with John Travolta dancing in high heels as Edna Turnblad, grossing 6.3 million in its sixth week.

Close behind was the Adam Sandler comedy about male firefighters who fake a gay marriage for the insurance benefits, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," which took 5.9 million.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the fifth film based on J.K. Rowling's boy-wizard Harry Potter, clung to eighth place with 5.4 million.

Romantic comedy "No Reservations," starring Catherine Zeta-Jones as a perfectionist chef who falls for colleague Aaron Eckhart, took 3.9 million.

"Daddy Day Camp," a comedy about a run-down summer camp starring Cuba Gooding Jr., rounded out the top 10 with 3.5 million dollars in its opening weekend.