That's a different concept than what I originally thought and I couldn't agree more. If you're going to use a system like NWN2s, IMO, it's vastly important to make the combat animations and similar as interesting to look at as possible. Either that, you make the combat hectic and challenging enough that players aren't just sitting there actively doing nothing but watching enemies/characters swing swords at one another for 30 minutes.
Edit: Which, incidentally is why I don't like KotoR and why I think BG2 was such a great game. BG2 had hectic, often challenging combat and I was always doing something with my characters (actually, I will praise IWD for the same thing while I am at it). NWN2 and KotoR had lots of combat, but it was brainless and got highly repetitive (because I rarely was challenged and had to do anything in combat), which does expose the flaws in things like overly repetitive combat animations as you stated.
I have to disagree. The reason BG2 was "hectic, often challenging combat" in contrast compared to NWN2 and KOTOR is because of the most popular form of party control. NWN2 and KOTOR have your party taking on their roles supposedly independently of the player character. BG2 we all took complete control. We had to set up the attacks for every single character. Something players don't seem to do so often in NWN2 and KOTOR.
I really don't see how praising BG2 and IWD brings up a point about combat animations, either way.