By Chris Kavan - 03/08/18 at 06:41 AM CT
Black Panther had no trouble handling Red Sparrow and Death Wish last weekend. It shows little signs of slowing down and, in fact, it looks like Disney is going to be the biggest threat for... Disney this weekend. A Wrinkle in Time should be able to give Black Panther a decent run for its money, though I have a feeling the Wakandans are going to fight hard to keep that top spot. Also vying for audience attention is the comedy/crime Gringo, the thriller Strangers: Prey at Night and the action/crime Hurricane Heist. Neither of those three, however, should pose a threat to Black Panther.
A WRINKLE IN TIME Director Ava DuVernay made a name for herself with the powerful civil rights drama Selma. This time around the subject matter isn't as heavy, but looks to make just as powerful an impact. Based on the best-selling novel from Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time follows young Meg (Storm Reid) on a quest to find her father (Chris Pine), only to find herself on an adventure that spans time and space. She is helped along her journey by three magical beings Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which (played respectively by Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey), along with her younger brother (Deric McCabe) and friend, Calvin (Levi Miller). The film has, thus far, received mixed reviews - while the visuals are stunning, they can also be distracting. The film seems to pick and choose from the novel's source material and never seems to find its footing. Still, praise is given to the message the film sends audiences, especially the younger set. I have a feeling this is going to attract a lot of families and should be a top draw over the weekend.
If you're in the mood for more of an adult-worthy chuckle, along with a fair bit of action, Nash Edgerton is here to scratch that itch. Businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) is sent to Mexico to deal with clients, but is soon in the middle of a big mess. His company (run by Charlize Theron) refuses to help him, criminals, cartels and mercenaries surround him - and in order to survive, he will have to cross the line from mild-mannered businessman to stone-cold killer (or something like that). The film boasts a great cast including Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton, Amanda Seyfried, Kenneth Choi, Sharlto Copley, Alan Ruck and even Paris Jackson. The trailer makes this look like a whole lot of fun (but so did Free Fire, and look where that wound up), but it all comes down to action fans and whether they want to give this a shot.
STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT It seems very odd to me that this sequel to Strangers is coming out nearly a decade after the orignal dropped by in 2008. For some reason, a sequel was written but many factors contributed to a fast-track going off the rails. But, here we are, the overall plot remains the same - a group of people in an isolated location face unprovoked attacks by masked strangers, and must fight to their limits to survive. It is a family this time instead of a couple - played by Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison and Martin Henderson. The three creepily-masked assailants are Emma Bellomy, Lea Enslin and Damian Maffei. Not sure exactly what more can be said - I'm sure the mild-mannered among the family will turn out to be the most badass in the end and that not everyone will survive. Horror fans should know exactly what to expect out of this one.
THE HURRICANE HEIST Whereas Gringo looks to mix action with dark comedy, Hurricane Heist is your straight-up heist film mixed with a bit of destruction. You see, the film's clever title alludes to a ludicrous attempt to rob a U.S. Treasury mint facility in the face of a Category 5 hurricane. The balls that would take! But this is a movie so fresh-faced talent like Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Toby Kebbell, Ralph Ineson, Melissa Bolona and Ben Cross are going to take their chances. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say despite their best laid plans, something (or many somethings) go wrong and the money will be the least of their worries when their lives are on the line. This seems more like a late-night streaming option than a must-see theater films. I'm sure it will be exciting, but I don't see it ranking among the top films of the year.
Black Panther faces off against four new challengers, but only one poses a real threat. We'll see if the mighty superhero can compete with a new wrinkle, but I have a feeling it's going to play out well for both films.
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