If the manager-employee relationship is not good, 1:1's do have the problems you described. But the cool thing is that 1:1's can also improve relationships and build trust, which actually resolves those problems over time.

This doesn't work if you don't have some amount of trust to begin with. But I've found that over time 1:1's build trust and open communications because the frequent, consistent, small conversations help both parties learn about each other and work through issues together.

I do 1:1's as a manager with my employees and also as an employee with my manager, so I've seen this from both sides for the past 5-6 years. I am confident that our 1:1's have been the single biggest factor in the great relationships and high trust that we all have now.