Virtually every single aircraft program has been flogged by the press for being too expensive and less capable than the aircraft it replaced. This included the F-111, the C-5, the F-14, the F-15, the B-1, the F-16, the A-10, the F-18, the C-17, the B-2, the V-22, the F-22, and now the F-35. Overall the track record for these aircraft turned out to be outstanding, far exceeding the capabilities of their predecessors.
The actual track record for the F35 has been very positive. Most the reports I've seen from pilots are generally very positive [1].
Other countries continue to buy it over other platforms [2].
Most the major complaints are around costs compared to the aircraft that are being replaced, but this isn't a fair comparison.
As for the cost to fly the F-35, a unit measure the Air Force terms “cost per flying hour,” today the F-35 costs around $35,000 per flying hour. Comparative aircraft in this class are generally in the mid $20,000s, a target the F-35 is slated to hit by 2025. However, it must also be remembered, as the F-35 pilot’s above comment highlights, far fewer F-35s can accomplish far more with fewer aircraft than legacy aircraft types. It does not require a math major to understand this yields far lower real-world total costs to achieve a particular mission result. [3]
[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/italian-pilots-raved-about-f...
[2] https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2019/5/24/i...
[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2020/07/20/f-35-pro...