The film, starring Queen Latifah and Steve Martin (right) was a US hit

The second of the Matrix films, which stars Keanu Reeves, remained in the top spot, having taken more than �3.7m.

Bringing Down the House took more than �1.1m in its first three days and stars Steve Martin Queen Latifah, recently nominated for an Oscar for her role in Chicago.

Top five UK films 1 The Matrix Reloaded 2 Bringing Down the House 3 X-Men 2 4 Kangaroo Jack 5 Ripley's Game Source: Screen International

The success of the film in the US has been attributed to the US public's desire for escapism in the midst of war with Iraq.

The film focuses on a prisoner (Latifah) who meets a lawyer (Martin) in a chat room and makes her way into his life in the hope that he can exonerate her.

The film has not enjoyed rave reviews in the US or in the UK.

"When the comic high point of your movie features Steve Martin attempting to break dance while clad in hip-hop gear, you know you are in trouble", BBC News Online's Caroline Westbrook said on Monday.

The Matrix Reloaded has now taken nearly �22m in the UK in just over two weeks.

In third place on the UK box office chart is X-Men 2. The sequel to 2000's X Men took �454,000, bringing its total so far to over �19.5m.

Kangaroo Jack, which follows two crooks who chase a kangaroo that makes off with their money is in fourth place, and Ripley's Game, the sequel to the Talented Mr Ripley starring John Malkovich, has debuted in fifth place.

Rowan Atkinson's comedy Johnny English remains in the top 10, at eighth place. The spy parody has been one of the most successful films of the year, already taking more than �18m.