Fun action movie, but script has too many loose ends (minor spoilers)

Rating: 6/10 (15 November 2012)

I am not saying this is a terrible movie. It is an action flick and appropriately loud with explosions and constant suspense. But when it comes to the script, I feel like they had the opportunity to do something more and tell a compelling story. All the ingredients seemed to be there, and the actors casted are more than capable of carrying a story that goes deeper than what is currently presented. It is therefore especially frustrating that the movie constantly seems to try and tell a story but then never sees it through. People are introduced, questions are raised, but are then forgotten like they never mattered.
A few examples:
-Female "interests" for bond are introduced and almost immediately cast aside.
-They create sympathy for the bad guy, but then do nothing with this feeling that they seemed to intentionally give to the audience.
-We get to see a new young Q, he must be amazing right? But, he does nothing the entire movie apart from making some foolish mistakes.
-The punchline, which I guess is "in the modern world the threat is invisible" which is underlined in a speech by Judi Dench, feels like an afterthought. It is not moving at all. Not because Judi Dench does not do a terrific job, but because it only vaguely fits the script.
-The question of Bond being replaceable, how he feels about it and how it affected him is never explored. The movie brings up this issue but again, does nothing with it. Once Bond gets back into the action, it is like these issues did not exist.