'Operation Red Sea' tops Chinese box office

Chinese anti-terrorism action film "Operation Red Sea" led the Chinese film market in the week ending March 4, earning 868 million yuan (about 137 million U.S. dollars), according to China Film News.

"Operation Red Sea" is loosely based on the evacuation of hundreds of Chinese citizens and foreign nationals from Yemen's southern port of Aden during the Yemeni civil war in late March in 2015.

The film tells the story of the Chinese Navy's elite special forces, Jiaolong Assault Team, who saved Chinese and foreign nationals in the war and foiled a terrorist plot to obtain nuclear materials to make dirty bombs. It has raked in nearly 3 billion yuan since its release on Feb 16.

"Detective Chinatown 2" came in second, making about 483 million yuan at the box office last week. It has sold 3.1 billion yuan in tickets since hitting Chinese screens on Feb 16.

The third place went to domestic adventure film "Monster Hunt 2," which took in 162 million yuan last week.

Documentary "Amazing China" landed in the fourth place, generating about 92 million yuan last week. The film was released on March 2.

Rounding out the top five was Sony's animated adventure comedy "Peter Rabbit," which has pocketed about 79 million yuan since its release on the Chinese mainland on March 2.

The Chinese box office grossed about 1.9 billion yuan last week, with nearly 53 million tickets sold.