SummaryTwo billion years ahead of us, a future race of humans finds itself on the verge of extinction. Almost all that is left in the world are lone and surreal monuments, beaming their message into the wilderness.
Directed By:Jóhann Jóhannsson
Written By:Olaf Stapledon, Jóhann Jóhannsson, José Enrique Macián
Last and First Men
Metascore
Generally Favorable
80
User score
Generally Favorable
6.7
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
82% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
18% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Mar 7, 2020
100
A ravishing 70-minute audiovisual essay on human mortality, extinction and legacy — all the more poignant for being its maker’s final creative statement.
Feb 28, 2020
91
Guided by Jóhannsson’s ethereal score, this dazzling apocalyptic immersion blends cosmic 16mm black-and-white images of Yugoslavian architecture with a deadpan Tilda Swinton voiceover, resulting in a profound lyrical rumination on the end of days.
User score
Generally Favorable
64% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
21% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
14% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Dec 26, 2021
10
A reminder of a deep sadness and desire for meaning. Situating myself somewhere in the middle of deep time has for a moment broken my distraction.
Jul 26, 2025
5
An art house type film with some decent visuals, but with a storyline that's been done several times before. I liked Tilda Swinton's voiceover, but ultimately I found myself thinking of better ways to make the film throughout. There's nothing particularly special here, and with 2 billion years having passed, there could have been so much more exploration of what we as a species could have achieved. In the end it was kind of interesting in an arty way, but really lacked some deeper thought I felt. I doubt I'd watch it again.
Feb 28, 2020
80
Halfway between fiction and documentary, Last and First Men is a visionary work about the final days of humankind that stretches the audience’s ability to imagine not only an immense time frame reaching over billions of years, but huge steps in human evolution.
Dec 13, 2021
75
The push and pull between gradual buildup and apocalyptic rupture allows the film to infiltrate the mind and recalibrate our sensitivity to time.
Dec 10, 2021
70
Johannsson’s stark, uncompromising passion project is always striking to the eye even in moments when the narrative lulls.
Jul 28, 2020
60
An unconventional and imperfect first work of a career that would have been fascinating to watch unfold, Jóhannsson’s images are just as strong as his typically excellent, haunting musical composition.
Jun 26, 2024
4
Mildly thought-provoking and desperately boring, with no characters, drab black and white visuals, and annoyingly intermittent narration.
Production Company:
- Zik Zak Filmworks
- Zik Zak Kvikmyndir
- Icelandic Film Center
Release Date:Dec 10, 2021
Duration:1 h 10 m
Website:
Awards
Edda Awards, Iceland
• 5 Nominations
World Soundtrack Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Montréal Festival of New Cinema
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
