Simon West (Laura Croft: Tomb Raider), quoted at flicksandbits.com:

I wanted to direct [The Expendables 2] because I know how much people love these characters, and now they’re going to get to see more of them in even higher adrenaline situations, plus I loved the first film, The Expendables.

I think audiences connect with this group because they’re funny, they’re tough, they’re very good at what they do – and yet they aren’t super-human. They aren’t bullet-proof. They each have their flaws and each character is screwed up in their own little way. People root for them because they’re underdogs and we can all relate to that.

We so do, Simon. We so do.