Mark Wahlberg stars in the genre pic, which marks Gibson's first directorial effort in nearly a decade. Elsewhere, Steven Soderbergh's artsy haunted house thriller 'Presence' opened in 1,750 cinemas.

Mel Gibson's new action film "Flight Risk" has topped the North American box office, taking in an estimated $12 million on a slow winter weekend, industry analysts said Sunday.

On a quiet weekend, even for the typically frigid movie-going month of January, the top spot went to the Lionsgate thriller starring Mark Wahlberg.

"Flight Risk"—director Mel Gibson’s new action thriller starring Mark Wahlberg—is targeting a No. 1 debut at the weekend box office.

Critics lambasted it and audiences didn’t grade it much better. But despite the turbulence, Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk” managed to open No. 1 at the box office with a modest $12 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Lionsgate’s advertising campaign for “Flight Risk” credits its latest film to “the award-winning director of ‘Braveheart,’ ‘Apocalypto’ and ‘Hacksaw Ridge’,” which seems a circumspect way of recognizing Mel Gibson as its helmer.

Mel Gibson’s new action film Flight Risk has topped the North American box office, taking in an estimated $12 million on a slow winter

Despite a notable January slump, the box office still saw some promising contenders this weekend with director Mel Gibson’s action-thriller Flight Risk topping the charts. Although Gibson’s sixth directorial effort was generally panned by critics,

Critics lambasted it and audiences didn't grade it much better. But despite the turbulence, Mel Gibson's 'Flight Risk' managed to open No. 1 at the box office.