I snickered when they bought him into the movies in TFA because to be honest, I wasn't even sure Ackbar was in the meeting in that movie until the credits.
I get that the makers were trying to creative Gravitas by killing Ackbar, but they just didn't do a good job of it. I felt more emotional about the death of Tallie in the hanger bay in TFA, they did a great job of making you at least go "Oh shyte" when she done got sploded.