I think there’s one key thing holding Killmonger back

I think you've ignored a crucial aspect of Kilmonger that belies his real strength as a villain.

Erik Stevens is a sadist and a sociopath. The racial overtones of his motivation are likely rationalizations for his need to inflict pain on, control and murder others. His crusade to avenge his father and usurp the Wakandan throne are tied to a pathological need to inflict a disproportionate reprisal on those he feels have wronged him.

His "race war" serves more as a tool to motivate his base as a ruler and turn them into agents for his real goal - control. Outside of the murder of Zuri, Erik's killing is dispassionate and indiscriminate (unless it is for effect as in the attempted murder of T'Challa).

The discovery of his father's violently murdered body, caused by seemingly all-powerful phantoms who vanished without a trace, set Erik on a path of deep psychopathy which he enacted violently during a prolific military career. Adopting his father's campaign was a possible cover for the satisfaction he derived from killing. He only ever demonstrates a human connection to his father, and it was tenuous at best.

Whether that theory works for you or not, there is one unavoidable reason we never see Kilmonger confronted with on-camera racism; Black Panther is a Disney film (and they've been down that road before). Ironically, they were more content to openly characterize Kilmonger as a homocidal sadist rather than as the victim of racism.

Kilmonger's mission is deeply personal. It has little to do with any socio-political agenda.

killmonger was too one dimensional. he had no charm. falling into the angry black man.

ask yourself how do Raz Al Ghaul in batman begins and William Stryker in X2 always managed to still be so charming and could carry decent conversation calmly even with their sinister schemes?

poor writing from mcu as usual.

Agreed. That's another reason why Black Panther is an over-rated movie. We never see Killmonger experience the oppression that he claims to have experienced as a black man. Contrast that to the X-Men movies, where we see Magneto experience oppression by the Nazis against Jews.

I consider racism to be a conscious set of choices and behaviors. Statements like the one highlighted above are more indicative of a deep cultural bias rather than any overt bigotry. The poster is judging villainy based on the standards of his or her own culture.

The predisposition towards a Eurocentric orientation of villainy, a white, middle-aged male with Eurocentric affectations in dress and speech, is likely as old as the cinematic artform itself.

Consider the villainous traits that are thought of as classically acceptable to the individual making the statement. The villain must be a "charming" conversationalist with a calm demeanor who is able to obfuscate their devious nature and plan with the pretense of being gracious. This description could fit Dr. No, Ernst Stavro Blofeld or even a certain undead fiend from the Carpathian Mountains.

It's worth noting that neither Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul nor Danny Houston's Stryker is particularly charming or an exceptional conversationalist. Ra's al Ghul is resolute in his beliefs and he occasionally flirts with being eloquent in the articulation of his plans. Stryker is a company man who is slightly more imaginative than similar characters of his ilk; but, I digress.

Kilmonger's overt bravado and machismo don't fit into the Eurocentric model of villainy and thus, are found to be inferior by those who have adopted Dr. No, Blofeld or Vlad the Impaler as exemplars of sinister behavior in cinema. Kilmonger's performance is more suited to the psychopathic (and often exotic/openly deviant) henchmen - the Jaws and Baron Samedi types of the villain world. Invariably detractors will state that Ulysses Klaue was the superior villain of the film and this makes sense in that Kilmonger is essentially his henchmen until the film's turnabout.

All that said, had Kilmonger offered T'Challa breezy conversation, a meal and a good night's rest in his sprawling compound, he may have been able to stave off the harsh criticism that is associated with his performance.

It's funny 'cos it's true.

He's dead?