Definitely agree with op on all 3 counts. Also thought "the meet and greet villain" scenario was too campy. Didn't like the critical choice Bond made on the bridge (I get their reasoning, I just don't agree with it). It goes against the grain of the character imo. I felt like this hurt the third act as well. A lot.
When Bond shoots at Blofeld behind the glass, the shot while they're talking reflects Blofeld's face onto Bond's. So we are meant to think he could end up like his half brother, sort of like in Skyfall when Bond sees Silva's jaw and realizes that could have been him. There's a line in CR to Vesper about "you do what I do for too long and eventually there's nothing left. Time to get out while there's still some of me left to salvage." So I think the ending and the choice works. It would have been more believable had there been more chemistry between Craig and Seydoux.
As for the recommended edits in this thread, the Bellucci scene is pretty good, I just wish Mendes had done that as one pan shot as well like the PTS, so it's a surprise that Bond's been behind her (ala how did they film that?!)
The car chase is enjoyable, but there's no tension to it. But the dialog between Bond and Moneypenny about Oberhauser sets up the best part in the score with the choir after the audience learns Oberhauser is supposed to be dead. And why burn his face out of the picture from forensics? The audience doesn't get why Bond has seen a ghost at the SPECTRE meeting, only Bond does. Had we known the face from the childhood photo, it would have worked better. EON isn't good with twists. They spoil the Trevelyan thing in GoldenEye's trailer, but try to keep the villain identity secret in a movie friggin' titled SPECTRE!
The whole Q/ring/gondola scene makes no sense. Shout out where he's staying, room number and what time he'll be there, and yet no goons within earshot show up at said location and time? Take that scene out, we can assume Bond knows where Q is, or he could have texted it to him via Moneypenny's phone.
But the white tux on the train leading up to Bond seeing Hinx in the martini shaker reflection, ala Goldfinger's PTS, was a nice callback. Bond and Swann hooking up after the adrenalin of that makes perfect sense.