Sci-fi thriller “Jumper,” starring Hayden Christensen as a man who is able to teleport himself anywhere, jumped ahead of all competition and took in more than $30 million in the Thursday to Sunday period in North America.

20th Century Fox's science-fiction thriller “Jumper” was strategically released on Valentine’s Day and the strategy seems to have paid off, as it took in an estimated $27.2 million from Friday to Sunday, and an estimated $33.8 million from Thursday to Sunday, according to the Box Office Mojo.

While Christensen stars as David, the young man who can teleport himself, Samuel L. Jackson stars as the villainous character set on destroying the jumper, while Rachel Bilson portrays the hero’s love interest. Doug Liman directed.

The film was panned by critics and received meager scores on Rotten Tomatoes and MetaCritic; 15 percent on the first website, with 95 out of 112 reviews branding it as “rotten,” as of Feb. 18, and 36 out of 100 on the second website.

The reviled yet box office-successful “Jumper” is followed at No. 2 by “Step Up 2 the Streets,” dance sequel to the 2006 movie “Step Up,” which enjoyed box office sales estimated at $29 million for five days.

Paramount Pictures’ family fantasy “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” an adaptation of the children’s’ novels, directed by Mark Waters (“Freaky Friday,” “Mean Girls”) and starring Freddie Highmore in a double role as twins, opened at number three, with an estimated $27 million.

Universal Pictures’ “Definitely, Maybe,” starring Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, and Abigail Breslin, though romantic and released on Valentine’s Day, opened somewhat modestly at number four, with an estimated $14.5 million in five days.

Rounding up the top five is last week’s champ, the Matthew McConaughey – Kate Hudson rom com “Fool’s Gold,” which earned another $13 million, according to studio estimates.

The record set last year by “Ghost Rider” during Presidents Day weekend, with a $52 million intake, remains in place.