Washington-wahlberg film hits the bull’s-eye

LOS ANGELES — 2 Guns is No. 1 at the weekend box office.

Starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, it pulled the trigger to capture the top spot with $27.4 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

2 Guns is based on a graphic novel of the same name and features Washington as a DEA agent and Wahlberg as a naval intelligence officer who must team up for an undercover operation involving drug traffickers and the CIA.

Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal, said 2 Guns opened at the studio’s expectations and attributed the film’s success to Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur and the first-time pairing of Washington and Wahlberg.

“It was super casting,” she said. “There was remarkable chemistry. The two of them work so well together. You see it on screen. Baltasar really gave them the energy to be able to do what they did in this film.”

Japan-set superhero flick The Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman scratched out the No. 2 spot with $21.7 million in its second weekend, bringing the Marvel icon’s total domestic haul to $95 million.

The Smurfs 2 launched in the No. 3 position with $18.2 million. The fourth-place movie, The Conjuring, conjured up $13.7 million. Despicable Me 2 found its way into fifth place with $10.4 million. Following that were Grown Ups 2 ($8.1 million), Turbo ($6.4 million), Red 2 ($5.6 million), and The Heat ($4.7 million).