Well, maybe I'm not as old and jaded (31 young) but I love gore, I love violence. Because it's a movie, fellas, and ultimately it's supposed to be fun. Being a gore hound, I eat this shit up. I love it!
Is it gratuitous? I don't know, is Alien or Aliens gratuitous? The gore in those films is part of the fun. Maybe people view it differently in those cases because those films are so well-made, but it, the gore, is all part of the show, the attraction.