Zack Snyder’s long-awaited passion project has premiered, and critics are sharply divided.

After spending years in development, Zack Snyder’s The Last Photograph has finally arrived. The independent action drama made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, giving critics their first chance to see the filmmaker’s long-gestating passion project.

The movie stars Stuart Martin as Ethan Black, a former DEA operative who heads into the mountains of South America after his diplomat brother and sister-in-law are murdered and their children are kidnapped. He eventually teams up with Joseph Wallace, a drug-addicted war photographer played by Fra Fee, who witnessed the killings and captured the final photograph of Ethan’s sister-in-law. Together, they set out to find the children and track down those responsible, with the journey gradually becoming something more surreal and personal.

The Last Photograph is also a significant departure from the large-scale superhero and science-fiction movies that have defined much of Snyder’s recent career. The filmmaker directed, produced, and shot the movie himself, working with a relatively small independent production. The project has been in development in various forms for nearly two decades, making its arrival at TIFF something of a culmination for Snyder.

It’s always interesting when a movie focuses on a photographer, and in this case, one of their photographs. However, based on the critical response to the film, The Last Photograph might not be a keeper.

Critics Are Divided on The Last Photograph

Initial reviews suggest that The Last Photograph is unlikely to change anyone’s mind about Snyder. Some critics see a filmmaker pushing himself into more intimate territory and finding something worthwhile in the process. In contrast, others see many of the same excesses that have defined the director’s more divisive work.

Deadline‘s Pete Hammond is among the more positive voices, describing the movie as a “violent but surprisingly human action drama.” The review argues that Snyder has moved away from the scale of his DC and Netflix productions while still delivering the action and striking imagery he is best known for.

The Hollywood Reporter has highlighted the contrast between Snyder’s previous blockbuster work and the much more stripped-down approach of The Last Photograph. The publication’s first-reaction roundup, however, shows just how sharply opinions differed among those who saw the film at TIFF, with several critics criticizing its pacing, tone and excesses.

The Hollywood Reporter‘s own review calls Snyder’s new flick “a misfire.”

Punch Drunk Critics was considerably less enthusiastic. Reviewer Travis Hopson called the film “overlong, ponderous and deadly serious to a comical degree,” while also acknowledging that Snyder’s cinematography and the film’s action sequences can be effective.

“Much of The Last Photograph feels like Snyder’s attempt to prove he’s better than just the guy who makes things blow up real good,” Hopson writes.

“Hilariously, the film begins with a topless woman having sex with Joseph while he shoots a photograph of a non-existent butterfly. There are maybe three women in the entire movie and all of them are topless at some point, and none of them can keep their hands off the nearest guy. Pretty sure Snyder didn’t imagine this one through the female gaze. And yet, when Snyder stops the pretentious bulls*** and gets down to doing what he’s best at, ‘The Last Photograph’ is a killer revenge thriller and quest movie,” he notes.

The review ultimately sees a stronger movie buried inside the 135-minute film, particularly once Snyder shifts his focus toward the revenge-thriller elements. Hopson writes that there is “a good movie in here” that could have been substantially shorter, while praising Martin’s performance and Snyder’s handling of the violence.

Meanwhile, Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel had one of the most direct views writing “Zack Snyder’s ‘The Last Photograph’ Is Getting Destroyed at TIFF: “Unabashedly Sh*t On Every Level”, backed up by screenshots from X of netizens echoing the sentiment:

“As expected, Zack Snyder’s ‘The Last Photograph’ is being torn apart by TIFF attendees. No mercy given. The film, which had its world premiere this evening, is being called by some one of the worst movies to ever premiere at the festival,” Ruimy says.

Some criticize the movie’s length, dialogue, and self-seriousness, while others have praised its cinematography, action, and willingness to depart from the filmmaker’s usual blockbuster formula. That split makes The Last Photograph an unusual festival title, particularly for a filmmaker whose work has historically inspired strong reactions in both directions.

“It is one of the worst films to ever screen at a major film festival,” writes The Wrap in a particularly harsh review.

When Is The Last Photograph Coming Out?

The Last Photograph premiered at TIFF on September 13, but the movie arrived at the festival without a distributor. Snyder made the film independently and is currently seeking a buyer, meaning there is no announced U.S. theatrical release date or streaming date yet.

The TIFF premiere was therefore more than simply a first screening. It also allowed potential distributors to see the finished film, with the movie entering the festival as an acquisition title. Whether The Last Photograph eventually receives a theatrical release, heads directly to a streaming service, or takes another distribution route remains to be seen.

For now, the trailer is the easiest way to get a look at Snyder’s latest project. After nearly two decades of development, The Last Photograph is finally a finished movie. The question is when audiences outside Toronto will get the chance to see it.

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Image creditsThe Last Photograph