Film-form photocatalysts have gained growing popularity due to the relatively facile separation property from the environment after reaction. In this study, the in situ technique, electrodeposition technique and heating deposition technique were successfully carried out to fabricate the granular, meshy and lamellar ZnO films, respectively. The cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activity of ZnO films with different surface features were investigated. The cytotoxicity assessment by the cell metabolic and morphological methods and DNA fluorometric quantification technique revealed that ZnO films could inhibit the functions of NIH 3T3 cells, including metabolism, proliferation and spread. The inhibition rate was surface feature-dependent, in order of granular ZnO film < lamellar ZnO film < meshy ZnO film. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO films was compared by employing methyl orange as the model compound. The results indicated that the surface feature was the key factor affecting the photocatalytic activity of ZnO films, which was in order of granular ZnO film < meshy ZnO film < lamellar ZnO film. Summarily, it could conclude that ZnO films with special surface features had the potential as photocatalysts. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.