Thescreescore – Veteran filmmaker Zack Snyder, renowned for his visually distinct blockbusters and epic narratives, is once again at the center of a critical maelstrom, this time defending his latest cinematic endeavor, The Last Photograph. The project, a significant departure from his usual sci-fi and superhero fare, premiered to a largely negative reception at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), prompting Snyder to address the intense backlash head-on.
Following years immersed in large-scale productions like 300 and Man of Steel, Snyder pivoted to a more intimate, non-genre piece with The Last Photograph, a film he has reportedly championed for two decades. However, its debut has been met with an overwhelmingly harsh critical consensus, currently holding a dismal 18% on Rotten Tomatoes from 11 reviews. Critics have widely cited gratuitous violence, an excessive runtime, pervasive self-seriousness, and a perceived lack of narrative depth as significant flaws. Josh Bate’s review for thescreescore.com, scoring the film a mere two out of ten, highlighted a profound "disconnect between what Snyder appears to think he is making and what is actually unfolding onscreen," suggesting the film collapses into "camp" despite its aspirations for profundity.
In a candid interview with Variety, Snyder acknowledged the fierce online discourse surrounding his film, expressing his astonishment at the sheer "energy" and "vitriol" directed his way. "This morning, I woke up to my X feed, and the discourse is incredibly energized by this battle," Snyder remarked, describing it as "like there’s a war going on." He recounted encountering extreme sentiments, including calls to "kill Zack Snyder," accusations of him being a "fascist" or "homophobe," and even the perplexing claim that he is "bisexual."
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When pressed on the "bisexual" comment, Snyder mused, "I guess! It’s ‘homoerotic’ and ‘transphobic’ and ‘fascist’ and all these things." The conversation then shifted to the film’s portrayal of violence, particularly against women, which has drawn accusations of misogyny. Snyder vehemently refuted this, asserting that the film’s violence is indiscriminately applied to "men, women, children, everybody." He likened the "justice" meted out in the film to the indiscriminate force of a hurricane, arguing against imposing a moral framework on it. For Snyder, the violence serves to illustrate that "violence doesn’t work and doesn’t get anything done."
The director, no stranger to online controversies throughout his career, admitted that he is not immune to the negativity. Yet, he observed a subtle shift in the online conversation, noting that his algorithm now shows a counter-narrative emerging. What might have started as pure condemnation – "Zack Snyder sucks! F him! You fascist!" – now often includes voices urging restraint: "You guys are fing crazy. This is just a movie. Calm down."
The Last Photograph follows an ex-DEA agent and a drug-addicted photographer on a perilous journey through South American mountains, seeking the children of a murdered diplomat. Penned by Kurt Johnstad, the film has been a long-gestating passion project for Snyder.
This latest critical stumble follows a challenging period for Snyder, whose recent Netflix ventures, the two Rebel Moon films, were also widely panned by critics and failed to launch a new franchise. As of now, The Last Photograph remains without a distributor, and its reception at TIFF casts a shadow over its prospects of securing a major release. While its theatrical future is uncertain, the film is expected to eventually reach audiences, where it may yet find a different reception than it did with critics.
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