Perhaps you are the one who is confused?
10-2 already took ATB and did it better, by setting up different charge times for abilities. 12 evolved on that by going seamless field to battle, which allowed for positioning and aggro mechanics. The gameplay of the original FF7 is not even 'some' of the pinnacle of turn-based ATB combat anymore. It is hard to take you seriously when you say things like that, because it gives the impression that you haven't played anything but FF7-9, and didn't bother with subsequent FF or other games outside of FF games.
Grandia 3 for instance is far above FF7 in terms of an active, turn-based combat system. In terms of non-ATB turn based combat, Shadow Hearts 2 surpassed FF10. For action combat, the Tales games and TriAce games of years ago are still head and shoulders above FF15. FF is a series better known for its characters, world, and story rather than its gameplay.
FF7's combat is a relic. Present day or even years-old turn-based games are better and more fun to play.
I just think that it was incredibly wishful thinking to assume that the FF7 remake was going to be the exact same original game, but with a modern HD look. That's a viewpoint mired in nostalgia and resistant to evolution and change. It prevents developers from exercising any degree of creative freedom at all, and it also reflects a very 'skin-deep' love for FF7. Because apparently if it "looks like poop" you totally cannot handle that, so you have to have "pretty looking" thing with all the trappings of game design from 20 years ago.