9 Movies That Are Way Longer Than They Needed To Be

There is a delicate art to storytelling. Say too little and you risk leaving the audience confused. Say too much and well, you end up with the cinematic equivalent of a group chat where there is a lot of noise but little payoff. Hollywood loves a good epic, and sometimes that works wonders. Titanic needed that slow-burning romance before the iceberg struck. And yes, Oppenheimer gave us three hours of existential dread sprinkled with nuclear physics, because why not?

But then there are other films that don’t really warrant their lengths. The ones that wander. The ones that pad around with long, moody stares and unnecessary subplots and montages that feel like they were made by someone who just discovered slow motion. These are movies where editing could have saved time. Literally. It’s not like they’re bad. But watching them feels exhausting at times. Especially when you know they could have shaved off a good 30 to 45 minutes without losing any of their charm.

This list features nine movies that are longer than they needed to be just because they didn’t know when to wrap it up.

9

‘Eternals’ (2021)

2 Hrs, 36 Mins

Marvel’s Eternals tries to take an ambitious cosmic leap by weaving a tale of immortal beings who have secretly lived among and guided humans for thousands of years. Tasked with protecting Earth from ancient foes called the Deviants, their group must unite after centuries of disbandment to face the threat. The movie introduces ten new heroes, each with distinct powers and backstories, and before long, the narrative stretches across eons and civilizations.

Too Much Lore, Too Little Impact

Despite an A-list cast including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Kit Harington, Eternals feels like a slow march rather than a rollercoaster ride. Chloé Zhao’s direction brings contemplative silences, but in competition with Marvel’s signature pace, it feels aimless and meandering. This results in a bloated runtime. The sheer volume of characters and cosmic exposition needed to set the stage also slows it down.

8

‘It Chapter Two’ (2019)

2 Hrs, 49 Mins

It Chapter Two

Release Date

September 6, 2019

Runtime

169 minutes

Director

Andy Muschietti

Picking up 27 years after the events of It, the second half of Stephen King’s iconic horror saga finds the now grown-up Losers Club reuniting in Derry to face Pennywise once and for all. Their childhood trauma returns as they arrive at haunting locations and each of them confronts personal demons in the form of hallucinations and painfully long flashbacks.

Bloated Flashbacks and Spread-Out Scares

At nearly three hours long, It Chapter Two is an excessively indulgent affair that could have benefited greatly from some editing. The storyline toggles between adult and younger versions of the characters, combining the past and present while also offering emotional closure, horror set pieces, reconnections, and philosophical musings. It’s basically a narrative buffet with too many courses. The 2017 predecessor felt tight and character-driven; this one could have been leaner too.

7

‘The Aviator’ (2004)

2 hours and 50 minutes

The Aviator

Release Date

December 25, 2004

Runtime

170 minutes

Martin Scorsese’s biopic of aviation tycoon Howard Hughes chronicles his life and career, and his evolution from eccentric film producer to reclusive billionaire. The movie follows Hughes’ obsession with perfection and his battles with OCD and paranoia as he builds groundbreaking aircraft, dates screen legends like Katharine Hepburn, and spirals into isolation.

A Biopic That Doesn’t Know When to Land

Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett are incredible in The Aviator. There is no denying that the movie is rich and precise. It earned five Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Blanchett and technical accolades. But the movie spans decades and milestones, ties to real-life controversies, and rivalries in the industry. So its commitment to capturing Hughes in exhaustive detail turns the narrative into a timeline. Scenes linger. Focus shifts. And the dramatic arc sags in places.

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6

‘Braveheart’ (1995)

2 hours and 57 minutes

Braveheart

Release Date

May 24, 1995

Runtime

178 Minutes

Directed by Mel Gibson, Braveheart is a historical epic that takes viewers back to 13th-century Scotland and follows the life of Scottish rebel William Wallace, who leads the charge for independence against tyrannical English rule. His transformation from a simple farmer to a legendary freedom fighter is marked by sweeping battles, tragic love stories, alliances and betrayals, and a lot of dramatic speeches.

An Overstuffed and Indulgent Saga

No doubt, Braveheart has its moments. The rousing visuals, iconic monologues, stirring compositions, and Gibson’s sheer embodiment of Wallace. But the three hours of patriotism starts to feel like an endurance exercise. The emotional stakes peak early in the movie and then are repeated throughout, and battle sequences are drawn out but narratively thin. While lauded with Oscars (including Best Picture), Braveheart could have used some restraint.

5

‘Pearl Harbor’ (2001)

3 Hrs, 3 Mins

A war-romance hybrid of sorts, Pearl Harbor begins with childhood friends Rafe and Danny growing up to become fighter pilots. They both ultimately fall for a nurse named Evelyn. The love triangle deepens against the backdrop of World War II and the attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything.

Romance Drawn Out Across Too Much War

With Michael Bay’s direction, the movie’s visual grandeur is undeniable. The explosions ripple in theatrical manner and naval ships sink with cinematic flair. But beyond technical mastery, the movie struggles to balance scale and substance. Its three-hour length feels like there are two movies taped together. One is a melodramatic romance, and the other is a war thriller. Even though it fared well at the box office, critics weren’t kind.

4

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022)

3 Hrs, 12 Mins

Years after the original Avatar, this long-awaited sequel follows Jake Sully as he leads a family among the Na’vi after embracing their culture, defending their land, and discovering new worlds in Pandora. But when remnants of human colonizers return, Sully’s family is forced to escape to the oceanic tribe of Metkayina, leading to a new clash between humans and the Na’vi.

When Less Could Have Been More

Clocking in at three hours and twelve minutes, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is a spectacular film in terms of visuals. The jaw-dropping effects redefine underwater cinematography, and the cast delivers earnest performances. But beneath the surface, the story wanders and subplots multiply. The character development sinks under the weight of action sequences and visual grandeur. Of course, it received amazing reviews, and audiences showed up in droves, but the runtime diluted the tension.

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3

‘Cleopatra’ (1963)

3 Hrs, 12 Mins

Cleopatra

Release Date

June 12, 1963

Runtime

251 Minutes

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers

Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall, Sidney Buchman

Elizabeth Taylor stars as the legendary Egyptian queen in this sweeping historical epic from 1963. Cleopatra, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, chronicles her political rise and romantic entanglements. From her calculated relationship with Julius Caesar and her sweeping affair with Mark Antony to the eventual fall of her empire and Roman chaos, the movie is a parade of lavish manipulations and power struggles.

A Biopic Drowning in Excess

Cleopatra was intended to be a cinematic masterpiece that would cement Taylor’s status as one of the greatest actresses of her era. And that’s exactly what it did. Initially clocking in at four hours and then reduced to a three-hour and 12-minute version, the movie could have easily been a tighter saga of love and power. At the time, it was the most expensive movie ever made. And its legacy is shaped more by the backstage drama and financial panic than actual storytelling. Great production? Yes. But 3+ hours of indulgence? Unnecessary.

2

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

3 Hrs, 21 Mins

As the final installment of Tolkien’s trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King brings the journey of Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship to an emotional and climactic end. Frodo and Sam inch closer to Mount Doom and face corruption. Aragorn steps into his destiny as king. Meanwhile, epic battles are fought at Minas Tirith and beyond, with humans, elves, ghosts, and flaming trolls fighting to determine their fate.

The Emotional Payoff Lands Quite Early

No shade to Peter Jackson, The Return of the King is a fitting conclusion to the series. But its 3-hour and 21-minute runtime does occasionally feel too much. The movie features several finales, and while they are all beautifully executed, they become slightly repetitive. The One Ring is destroyed at the two-hour and 45-minute mark, which is still long, but then there are intimate character moments filling in for minutes on end. The film won 11 Oscars, sweeping every major category, and deservingly so, but even die-hard fans agree that it runs long. That said, some even enjoy the director’s cut, which runs for 4 hours and 10 minutes.

1

‘Gettysburg’ (1993)

4 Hrs, 31 Mins

Among the impressive and earnest genre of war movies, the Battle of Gettysburg has been an inspiration for several titles. But easily one of the most elaborate adaptations is 1993’s Gettysburg, directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. Following Union and Confederate leaders like Joshua Chamberlain and General Lee, the film dramatizes the American Civil War’s most pivotal battle and makes sure the pacing stays true to real-time warfare.

History Recreated, But With Bloated Runtime

There is something noble about the movie’s attempt to honor the moment. Maxwell aimed for authenticity, and with passionate performances from Jeff Daniels and Tom Berenger, he managed to nail the scope. But watching the movie feels like doing a historical project. It is informative, yes. Even poignant in certain places. But the sheer number of characters and plot, while serving to provide a comprehensive overview of the battle, feel overwhelming and distract you from the core narrative. It’s the kind of commitment most viewers don’t sign up for.