'Resident Evil: Afterlife' kills at Friday box office

Paul W.S. Anderson's 3D sequel "Resident Evil: Afterlife" scored a strong debut at No. 1 Friday at the North American box office with a solid $10.9 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates.

With no new competition fighting for the top spot, "Afterlife" easily won the race via an average of $3,403 per theater at 3,202 locations. The film based on the video game stars Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter.

Coming in second Friday was "The American," George Clooney's drama that bagged $1.79 million for a total haul of $24.2 million. "Takers" followed closely with $1.77 million for a cume of $43.7 million.

Meanwhile, Robert Rodriguez's "Machete" slipped to fourth place, earning another $1.32 million and reaching a cumulative gross of $17.9 million. "Going the Distance" grabbed $1.3 million, enough for No. 5.

Remaining results: "The Other Guys" took $1 million, as did "The Last Exorcism." "The Expendables" pulled in $950,000, and "Eat Pray Love" bagged $900,000. "Inception" earned $835,000.

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)