You do realize that The Lord of the Rings books are responsible for many of fantasy tropes we see today, right? This comment reminds me of how some people nowadays say that Seinfeld isn't unique and is just like so many other shows even though they were unique at the time.

Also, even if you think the plot is generic because so many other people copied them, it's still a masterclass in film making. The use of different types of special effects techniques is amazing. Many of the effects are practical and not CGI. The forced perspective is very well done and looks real. They were also able to take beloved books and make movies that the fans love. Fans tend to rip apart any adaptations of the source material they love unless it's perfect, but The Lord of the Rings was loved by fans of the books.