This has been a long journey for Clayface, a project that was initially pitched by Mike Flanagan and now finds itself as the third entry in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s first chapter of this new DCU. Directed by James Watkins, the film introduces Matt Hagan/Clayface (Tom Rhys Harries), a Gotham street kid turned leading man; the rise is meteoric. After Hagan has a one-night stand with Mia (Joana Ribeiro), the girlfriend of a Gotham mobster, Markos Szabo (David Dencik), Hagan is left disfigured. In desperation, he seeks treatment from Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), which has monstrous consequences for Hagan.

As a comic reader, heading into Clayface, I saw it as a chance to show the variety this new DCU could offer and to put one of the monsters in this “Gods and Monsters” chapter in the spotlight. The result is a weak first half that musters up a far stronger conclusion that relishes in a revenge tale

The film takes a long time to set up, which then affects the pacing because the first half is a lot of exposition and exploration of Hagan and his childhood.  He’s always had resentment, anger, and insecurity bubbling in him well before he gains special abilities. In this way, the script is, at times, cheesy and very on the nose, which clashes with the horror it tries to develop.

Body horror is a new genre for the DCU, one Clayface takes in stride. Hagan gains abilities that turn his body into a canvas. This adds a sense of danger because we’re waiting to see what Hagan can come up with. The prosthetics and makeup look great, from the bubbling of Hagan’s skin to the rubbery, movable exterior. A particularly gnarly moment is when Hagan has to cut his eyes open with scissors. In these moments, the film uses body horror to shift from cheesy to thrilling.

I found Gotham design-wise to be disappointing, with no personality. For this to be a horror film, Gotham should have a roughness to it that makes audiences think, “no wonder this place needs someone like a Batman.”

Harris puts in a good performance.  He comes across as cheeky and could easily get himself into trouble because he can’t keep his mouth shut, or because of the look he gives. With the Clayface persona, he shifts to a sense of emboldenment and being bulletproof; a new dangerous swagger.

Namoi Ackie brings warmth and decency to her character, who could be the most by-the-numbers mad scientist. She carries guilt over how her treatment led to Hagan’s transformation. Together, Harris and Ackie develop a really compelling monster-creator relationship.

Undoubtedly, audiences might still ask “so what?” with Clayface; however, Clayface offers enough body horror and its revenge-filled second half to be a serviceable headliner for the DCU’s first monster movie.

Review Courtesy of Matthew Allan

Feature Image Credit to Warner Bros.