'Momentum': Morgan Freeman film makes just $96 on opening weekend

A new action film starring Morgan Freeman has flopped at the UK box office on its opening weekend, raking in a combined total of £46 (approx. US$69 or AU$96) despite an estimated US$20 million budget.

“Momentum”, also starring ‘Bond girl’ Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and James Purefoy (The Following), opened across a mere ten theatres throughout the UK last Friday, averaging only £4.60 in revenue for each cinema. In two of those ten theatres, the film sold no tickets at all.

In addition to its limited release across the UK, it is likely that the film’s earlier US premiere in October and a simultaneous release on iTunes also contributed to its poor performance in the region’s theatres.

However, “Momentum” has had a consistently modest intake across the globe. According to Box Office Mojo, the film grossed roughly $256,000 on its opening weekend in Russia, and less than $50,000 in Malaysia, the Philippines and Ukraine.

The film’s failure would surely come as a surprise to first-time director Stephen Campanelli, who has worked with Hollywood director and actor Clint Eastwood on films such as “Gran Torino” and “Million Dollar Baby” in the past.

In an interview with Geekscape before the US release of “Momentum”, Campanelli had spoken of his intentions to make a sequel, “I don’t want to give away too much, but I definitely have some ideas for these people and Olga is so excited. She’s really hoping this movie does well, because she really wants to do a sequel too.”

Despite Campanelli’s intentions, the combination of the film’s box office failure and several scathing reviews from critics suggests that “Momentum” will remain a singular project.

“. . . The oddly arrogant final scene, which leaves the plot hanging for a sequel that will hopefully never come. It’s too fast-paced to be a total bore, but remains creatively bereft,” said The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee.

The film currently holds a 26 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 18 percent on Metacritic.