The problem with captain marvel isn’t something related to the movie. It’s the character itself...
The movie definitely has pointless pandering but nowhere near the level of Star Wars garbage. Most of this was wedged into the second act and didn’t need to be, but it was not an entire subplot that purely was there for pandering and served no purpose like Last Jedi.
The problem with Captain Marvel is she’s frankly just not that interesting, in the comics or the movie..
The big problem with the whole I am woman hear me roar, even with a cliche fight scene with I’m Just a Girl blaring, is it cheapens the character...
This is a woman who had already overcome any negative being told
You can’t do it nonsense by men long before she got powers. For gods sake she was a fighter pilot... so the whole men telling you “you can’t do it” doesn’t play.. she’d clearly passed that up long before she was a super hero so trying to play the angle just is pandering.
The moments aren’t franchise or movie killing, but they are definitely awkward and forced, and frankly not needed... trying too hard.. imho.
The third act though is a mess, but as I said if you like Marvel films you will likely enjoy it.. it’s not their best film, not even close, but it’s not their worst either... it’s a MEH.
However there is no doubt that Captain Marvel is a step down for the MCU in terms of Ironman being the pointman to Captain Marvel. And it’s not the actress or the acting it’s the character just isn’t that interesting, never has been.
Agree with everything you said.