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1) It went too slow and veered WAAAAAAAY off track in the middle, pretty much starting a new film. I really felt that 2+ hours.
2) The ending does not make complete sense. It's too much of a mess. Yes, things went unfortunate for Jack, but everyone's reaction seems to be exageratedly negative, and he doesn't even set out to prove himself right. He just snaps on spot, which somehow did not fit his psychological profile. His first reaction would have been to either think that the killer is still out at large, and keep on hunting him, or that something happened to the killer, and find out what.
3) Overall, following the above, the ending feels like a downer that was too forced. Like if Penn thought that a movie can't be good or artistic unless the ending was depressing, so he just tagged on an excessively depressing ending at the end that didn't really follow the story. And it doesn't even seem to be the point of the film. It's like a new point was added at the very end. "Ah - you thought that point was about obsession, but really it was about everyone getting screwed in the end in real life". Then why bother calling it "The Pledge"? Why not "Everyone Gets Screwed in the End" (porno attraction aside)?
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