'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2' Rakes In $71.2 Million in Opening Day
The Twilight saga "Breaking Dawn Part 2" earned an estimated $71.2 million on it's opening day Friday, the sixth highest opening day ever, according to Box Office Mojo.
Nearly half of the earnings -as much as $30.4 million- came from midnight and 10 p.m. showings, according to Box Office Mojo
Summit Entertainment estimates the movie will rake in $135 million for the weekend, less than the $142.8 million earned by the franchise's "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," in it's opening weekend in 2009.
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" also had a bigger opening day earning $72.7 million.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 earned $71.6 million on it's opening day in 2011 and $138.1 million for the weekend.
The final installment of "The Twilight Saga" is getting mixed reviews with 51% of critics recommending the movie, according to reviews aggregation site Rottentomatoes.com.
The New York Times gave the film a good review.
"Condon, however, who brought wit, beauty and actual filmmaking to Part 1, along with those enormous receipts, has nicely cultivated the art of the stall for Part 2 ... largely by turning his cameras into surrogates for the franchise's adoring fans," said film critic Manohla Dargis.
But the San Francisco Chronicle blasted the film.
It's a movie so dull you might start yanking on your own head after about an hour," said critic Mick La Salle.
"The 'Twilight Saga' has no upmarket aspirations. Seeking neither critical applause or peer-review awards, these movies, like those of Tyler Perry, seek only to provide unabashed satisfaction to those who believe in their characters," said MSN Movies critic Glenn Kenny.