By Chris Kavan - 08/21/19 at 10:32 PM CT
With Good Boys and Hobbs & Shaw deliver a one-two punch for Universal atop the box office, this weekend brings three new movies looking to stake their claim. Ready or Not is a horror film about a game with the highest takes. Angel Has Fallen is the third film for Gerard Butler playing the world's most versatile Secret Service agent - and this time, he's the accused. Finally, Overcomer is the latest faith-based drama trying to make its mark. Both Ready or Not and Angel Has Fallen has a good chance to sit atop the box office - we'll see which one ultimately comes out on top.
READY OR NOT As many movies before it have proved, the deadliest game of all... is man. Hunting other people for sport has been the subject of numerous films and Ready or Not looks to add in that touch of horror to the mix. New bride Grace (Samara Weaving) has just married Alex Le Domas (Mark O'Brien) who invites her to the massive family mansion in order to take part in a time-honored tradition for the eccentric group. You see, the Le Domas has done very well with games - so much so it has made them extremely wealthy - but it comes at a cost. Sacrifices must be made and when Grace draws "Hide and Seek" is means the sacrifice must be human. Thus Grace has from midnight until dawn to survive the family - including new mother and father-in-law (Andie MacDowell and Henry Czerny), Alex's brother Daniel (Adam Brody) and his very enthusiastic wife Charity (Elyse Levesque) and Emilie (Melanie Scrofano) and her husband Fitch (Kristian Bruun). But Grace hides a strength within her - and the family is a bit rusty using their game-specified antique weapons - and thus the hunters become the hunted as Grace fights back. While the story may be familiar, much like another family affair (You're Next specifically), this looks promising. I always like an underdog story and, hey, if you want to throw in buckets of blood - the more the merrier.
Gerard Butler has made a fine career out of playing the gruff but competent action hero. And nowhere has that been presented more aptly then when he takes on the mantle of Mike Banning - Secret Service agent extraordinaire. In Olympus Has Fallen, he must protect the White House from terrorists. In London Has Fallen - he must protect the president as an entire city comes under attack. Now, in this third outing, President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) is ready to make Mike head of the Secret Service - but this exciting news is tempered when Trumbull once again comes under attack - and Banning is framed for the crime. Now he must not only fight to save the president (again) but fight to clear his name. Each film has gotten bigger and crazier - but maybe Angel will dial things down from London, which was almost too much to bear. That being said, at least he can count on his dad (Nick Nolte) to help him out (preppers are people too!). The big bad looks to be led by Danny Huston but if it's like the previous two films, someone (slightly) unexpected will actually be behind the attack. This series delivers plenty of action and does it competently. It looks to put up a tough fight and we'll see if it can take the box office crown.
Once again, I can not hide my pretty much utter disdain for faith-based films. Too often their moral righteousness and the angle they take to get their message across buries any hope I could have in ever watching one. Overcomer follows the story of one Coach John Harrison (Alex Kendrick) who is on the road to a state basketball championship - that is until the manufacturing plant that employs a good chunk of the town shuts down - and many families move away. That includes many on his team. Pivoting reluctantly to cross country, both John and his wife Amy (Shari Rigby) find themselves touched by the inspirational life of Olivia Brooks (Priscilla C. Shirer) and the most unlikely of coaches, helping the most unlikely of athletes, looks to take on the biggest races of their respective lives. Apparently the same team behind War Room (one of the most successful faith-based films of late) is also putting their creative talents behind this film. Even with the team on board, War Room seemed more of an outlier than the norm and Overcomer will likely not find a place in the top five this weekend and will probably wind up in that $25 million range (not opening, total) if it's lucky.
With at least two big films opening, it will be interesting to see how Good Boys holds up. I don't know if it will keep the top spot or not, but I think it will have a decent second-week hold. As for the rest - I'm sure Hobbs & Shaw will continue to chug along, as should The Lion King. I'll be back on Sunday with the full report.
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