We're back to AD&D1

[Primal]

4E is 1E, with the addition of skill challenges. Which I wager will get more people more involved in noncombat interaction than either 1E's retarded (literally!) nonweapon proficiencies or 3E's unfocused menagerie of skills ever did.

Wrong, Hong! (Sorry, I just couldn't resist typing that! ) 1E didn't have any sort of feats or powers, unless you count the few class abilities. In feel and thematics 4E may be closer to 1E than 3E, and the like the OP posted, the art is more "violent" in nature, but it's way better and consistent in quality and more evocative than the art in most 3E books.

I don't agree with your "unfocused menagerie of skills", although 4E's skill list is more "compact" and indightful, it may be a bit too focused on adventuring and action.

Yet there's something which 4E does better than any other edition and it is to offer a game that thematically and mechanically focuses on story-flavoured cinematic action. If you like that, you'll absolutely love 4E. If you don't, you'll probably like PF or 3E better.

Yet in no way is it a boardgame or "the return to AD&D".