Nobody's questioning the logistical or practical necessity of a mono mix. It's the extreme creative changes they did to it - far beyond a simple line here and there - that cause the most consternation. A simple mono fold-down of the stereo mix would've been fine. But entire vocal performances of lines were added, altered, or re-cast, and the balance between music and fx was not as effective as in the stereo/surround mixes, where music was more present. That a few of the additions had negative dramatic consequences just happens to make them identical to additions in the SE, which also had negative dramatic consequences. Are direct correlative relationships mind-boggling? I suppose so, when the negative consequences are so easily avoided :)
_Mike