Exit enters US top spot

Seagal (right) with DMX in his first movie for four years

Police thriller Exit Wounds has stormed into the US movie charts at number one after taking $19m (£13.5m) at the box office over the weekend.

The film, starring former martial arts expert Steven Seagal, beat the star-studded epic Enemy at the Gates, which opened at number two with $13.6m (£9.5m).

Top five US films

1. Exit Wounds

2. Enemy at the Gates

3. The Mexican

4. See Spot Run

5. 15 Minutes

Exit Wounds sees Seagal teamed up with rap star DMX in a story about crooked cops and evil crooks.

The film's immediate success marks a personal triumph for Seagal, 49, who has not made a film for four years.

World War II drama Enemy at the Gates has been tipped to do well both in the UK and the US.

It stars British heart-throbs Jude Law and Joseph Fiennes and Oscar nominee Ed Harris in a story about the conflict between Russian and German snipers at Stalingrad.

Jude Law stars in Enemy at the Gates

Oscar nominees

The Mexican, starring Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, fell back to third place with $8.1m (£5.6m), after topping the charts for two weeks.

Canine comedy See Spot Run fell one place to four after taking $6.6m (£4.6m).

Thriller 15 Minutes, starring Robert De Niro, fell to number five with takings of $4.3m (£3m) in its second week.

Elsewhere in the charts, Oscar-nominated movies dominated the top 10.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - up for 10 awards - held steady at six with $4.1m (£2.8m) after 101 days on release.

Drug saga Traffic, also up for several Oscars, passed the $100m (£70m) mark on Saturday after making $3.4 (£2.3m) on its 81st day of release.

It held on to the number nine position. Closing the top ten was another best picture nominee Chocolat.