‘Clayface’ REVIEW: A new face of DC horror takes shape
Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen in ‘Clayface’ / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ‘CLAYFACE.’
I’ve been a longtime fan of horror films, with the slasher sub-genre being my favorite. But when it comes to body horror, perhaps there is a little bit of restraint when it comes to being enamored by the gruesome and gory nature of it all.
That’s why when a standalone Clayface film was first announced, I was intrigued. I’m always open to the superhero genre crossing borders with different genres and offering something new to audiences who have suffered from superhero fatigue. Embracing the body horror aspect of one of the members of Batman’s vibrant rogues' gallery is truly the way to go.
Not to mention how Mike Flanagan came into the mix, writing it. With all that’s been said and done, Clayface finally made his debut on the big screen in the horror-thriller entry from James Watkins, who helmed the American remake of Speak No Evil.
The DC Universe (DCU) is still in its early infancy, and having something like a risky entry like Clayface be part of the slate ahead of films featuring marquee characters like Batman and Wonder Woman is interesting, to say the least. DC Studios co-head James Gunn reassured that they will always, for the most part, greenlight a project based on the script.
Released just after Flanagan’s own project, his modern reimagining of Carrie for Amazon Prime, I’m excited to see yet another Flanagan print.
A disfigured Matt Hagen in ‘Clayface' / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Clayface follows Hollywood leading man Matt Hagen’s descent into an entirely different force of nature as his unfortunate encounter with a local crime boss leaves him disfigured. It’s a tragedy that takes cues from the clear-cut inspirations of the “Feat of Clay” episode of Batman: The Animated Series, featuring the Basil Karlo version of the character.
Tom Rhys Harries stars as the titular character, and it’s nothing short of a revelation. There’s a leading-man charm to him that perfectly captures that humble rags-to-riches story that most audiences will gladly root for. His luck had run out as soon as he crossed paths with Markos Szabo (David Dencik). The larger bearing of how the first act introduces us to Hagen and his descent into desperation in hopes of getting his life, career, and everything back is what drew me into Harries’ performance. Harries gets to work around a playpen with his performance, having the freedom to explore Hagen’s humanity before his full transformation into a monster.
The first act is not without its flaws, as there could’ve been more time to settle into his life before turning into a monster. Moments feel the need to get things going with the under-two-hour runtime. With the dialogue and character building still having some Flanagan touch to them, I sat in the theater for a little bit wondering whether Flanagan had directed this film.
Naomi Ackie as Dr. Caitlyn Corr in ‘Clayface’ / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Accompanying Hagen’s transformation is Dr. Caitlyn Corr, played by Naomi Ackie, who becomes his emotional anchor as he struggles with himself. Comparisons to the body horror classic The Fly and even the more modern The Substance are valid, with the film exploring both the physical and psychological transformations. With Corr becoming the last bit of human connection Hagen clings to before his eventual and inevitable transformation into a monster, the film never loses sight of making us care about Hagen as a person.
Underneath the thick of it all, what I praise the film for the most is how it lends itself to creativity. Some moments stand out in depicting Clayface’s ability to morph into different people, showing how much there is to offer visually in introducing the character to the big screen for the first time. I’d say the club sequence in the third act that fully embraces this ability is what made me feel that we have something special with this DCU entry. It’s something memorable that I didn’t expect, as the film fully embraces the camp instead of going fully grounded.
On the matter of world-building, we got our first glimpse of Gotham City in the DCU. Now, I’m not usually the biggest fan of name-dropping for the sake of expanding a cinematic universe, but I think Clayface does well in making us feel how shitty and dirty Gotham is. It does try to distance itself from Matt Reeves’ vision of the city while still maintaining the rugged outskirts, with neon and vibrant colors that metaphorically mask the darkness the city can bring, which is, of course, the case with Hagen’s return to Gotham from Hollywood and his tragic fate.
The transformation begins / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Letting out the inner DC fan in me, I’m not fully expecting the DCU’s first introduction of Bruce Wayne, especially with fan theories before the film’s release pointing to a potential reveal of the character through Hagen morphing into him. But again, in hindsight, it’s better off not having that crowd-pleasing moment for the sake of it. I think the payoff of slowly building anticipation for the full-fledged, gargantuan look of Clayface by the end is what made me think of the “Absolute Clay” meme.
The birth of a shapeshifting monster in ‘Clayface’ / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Fortunately, the film didn’t go the Sony Spider-Man villain film route of turning the supposed antagonist into an anti-hero. Yes, there’s still so much to root for in Matt Hagen, the character, but as the film reaches its end, he embraces his one true form, knowing what he can gain with his abilities. The striking final moments drive the nail into the coffin, solidifying this worthwhile introduction that maybe, just maybe, if deemed a success, could also highlight other non-A-list characters and their potential to shine in the film slate.
If one thing’s for certain, it’s that having an entry like Clayface in the same overarching world of the DCU as David Corenswet’s Superman, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, and the Green Lanterns, Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, shows just how much creative potential this universe has to offer.
‘Clayface’ is now showing in Philippine cinemas..
