2012 destroys the US box office

It may not have much of a plot, but it certainly has spectacle, and that was clearly enough to make 2012 a winner.

The latest from destructo-porn champion Roland Emmerich devastated the competition, taking in $65 million on its launch weekend.

That pushed A Christmas Carol down to second place, where it held well, earning $22.3 million and The Men Who Stare At Goats took third with $6.2 million.

Fourth place went to an impressive performance by much-praised drama Precious: Based On The Novel "Push" By Sapphire, which raked in $6 million. Fifth was the Michael Jackson concert movie This Is It, which earned $5.1 million.

Your full top 10, then...

1. 2012 ($65 million)
2. A Christmas Carol ($22.3 million)
3. The Men Who Stare At Goats ($6.2 million)
4. Precious ($6 million)
5. This Is It ($5.1 million)
6. The Fourth Kind ($4.7 million)
7. Couples Retreat ($4.3 million)
8. Paranormal Activity ($4.2 million)
9. Law Abiding Citizen ($3.9 million)
10. The Box ($3.2 million)

[Data Source: Box Office Mojo ]