Critics don't like Taken 2, but Liam Neeson's action sequel has proved twice the hit among fans as the original movie. Taken 2 led the box office with $50 million domestically over opening weekend. That's double the haul for Neeson's Taken, which took in $24.7 million in its U.S. debut in 2009.
The previous weekend's No. 1 movie at the U.S. box office, Adam Sandler's animated hit Hotel Transylvania, dropped to second place with $26.3 million.
Expanding into nationwide release after a limited debut a week earlier, Universal's music tale Pitch Perfect moved up to third place with $14.7 million. The movie stars Anna Kendrick as a college freshman spicing things up for her a cappella singing squad.
