aren't particularly likeable
A big part of why they aren't likable is that they don't have any flaws. It's literally offensive to modern feminists for a woman to have any weaknesses, and I'll prove it below.
In place of weaknesses or flaws, these characters are written as victims, who overcome their victimhood. Captain Marvel and Rey are two great examples. As people, and in terms of their super powers (or force powers) they start out "perfect."
They just don't know they're perfect. The storyline is just them figuring out how perfect they are.
It's a character arc that women really like, because it's what they all believe about themselves.
Contrast this with the traditional "hero's journey" created by the Greeks - it's a story in three acts. In act 1 we are introduced to the hero.
Act 2 is called, "rise of the antagonist." We're introduced to the villain and the most important part of this act is, the hero must be defeated. The hero must be shown to be inadequate. Think Batman being defeated by Bane and tossed into the prison. The end of act 2 must have the hero at his lowest point.
In act 3, the hero obviously defeats the villain, but that's pretty easy too, and
that doesn't make an enjoyable movie or a likable character. The crucial part of act 3 is
not the defeat of the villain. The crucial part of act 3 is the way the hero changes in order to defeat the villain. He might find a teacher, or learn something new, or he might adjust his priorities (like for example no longer caring if he dies, so long as he fights a good fight).
The point is, the hero changes
and grows - he's a different person at the end of the movie. I keep saying "he" but they used to write female characters this way too. You mention Ripley. Her growth is in the way she protects Newt. She's flawed at the beginning because she's overcome with fear. At the end she tells Newt they can both sleep without nightmares now (and of course, Alien 3 shits all over that, but whatever).
A female character with flaws is literally offensive to modern feminists. Here's a quick example: in one of the Avengers movies Black Widow admits that she is sterile, and she reveals she's insecure about it. That's a flaw ...or at least it could be - it could be the basis for an interesting character arc. But feminists flipped out. It made them really mad. So, don't expect to see any more attempts to write women with flaws.
The hero's journey = flawed hero -> defeated -> grows -> victorious = fundamentally a male worldview. Nothing is ever given to us.
The modern female superhero = perfect but doesn't know it, ugly duckling, victimized -> realizes how perfect she is -> victory = fundamentally a female worldview. It's recruit difficulty made into a movie.
