‘San Andreas’ buries ‘Aloha’ at Friday box office

It doesn’t appear that there will be any major shake-ups at the box office this weekend, as “San Andreas� is on track to claim No. 1.

The earthquake thriller starring Dwayne Johnson was the top performer at the multiplex on Friday, taking in $18.2 million, according to distributor Warner Bros. That means the film is on track to collect a solid $45 million by weekend’s end -- about as much as pre-release surveys had indicated.

The only other film that debuted in wide release this weekend was Cameron Crowe’s “Aloha,� a Hawaii-set, star-studded drama that has earned the filmmaker some of the worst reviews of his career. Sony Pictures said the film grossed $3.6 million on Friday, so the movie should end up with a underwhelming opening of about $10 million.

At least the film wasn’t all that expensive to produce: $37 million compared with the massive $110-million budget of “San Andreas.’’ Johnson’s disaster flick received a mixed critical reception but was well-liked by early moviegoers: Those who saw the film on Friday assigned it an average grade of A-, according to market research firm CinemaScore. “Aloha� fared worse, earning a B- grade -- actually not so bad, considering the movie has only an 18% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“San Andreas,� about a helicopter pilot trying to save his loved ones in the aftermath of an earthquake, marks a needed win for Johnson at the box office. The former pro wrestler was part of the ensemble cast of “Furious 7� -- a box-office juggernaut -- but had been unable to attract as many ticket buyers as a leading man. His turn as “Hercules� last summer was a bit of a disappointment in the U.S. and Canada, where the pricey film topped out with $72.6 million. And his attempt at comedy with Mark Wahlberg in 2013’s “Pain & Gain� fell flat; the film failed to exceed $90 million in sales worldwide.

Crowe, meanwhile, has become accustomed to bad news in recent years. Though he made his name on beloved films such as “Jerry Maguire� and “Almost Famous,� the director hasn’t had a hit in a decade. Though “Aloha� boasts an enviable cast -- Emma Stone, Bradley Cooper, Alec Baldwin, Rachel McAdams -- critics have complained that its plot about a defense contractor torn between two women is difficult to follow.

It remains to be seen, however, if “Aloha� will suffer more at the box office than Crowe’s last film, the 2011 family drama “We Bought a Zoo.� That Matt Damon film launched with just $9.3 million.

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