The recruiter asked surprisingly general questions, and it sounded (very much) like she was reading from a script.

The questions were so general that they didn't allow for very specific or meaningful responses. I don't see how the questions that were asked could be useful in comparing candidates.

Was this an actual interview for the job or an initial recruiter call? There is a difference, and it sounds like you are confused. I was referred for a job and a recruiter reached out, and they clarified it was not the actual job interview. This was a call so they could learn about me beyond my resume. Yes it was super general. But it was actually pretty interesting because I never had this happen with other companies. I'm not a match for the job I was referred to. Yes, the questions were standard - not specific to the job. So I think you are confused in what the call was for.