‘Clayface’ Paints Gotham Somewhat Thin but Has Some Squeamish Moments Throughout

It doesn’t take much for me to gravitate toward a new film (especially anything that’s comic book-related), but when I hear that a funny book story will be grounded in horror and Mike Flanagan (“The Life of Chuck,” “Carrie”)—one of this generation’s most brilliant minds in the field—has a hand in it, now you’re speaking my language. 

“Clayface” is DC’s latest installment in the Gunn Universe—a unique play aimed at comic book fans, but marketed as a body horror film with a dash of twisted romance. But let’s be clear, this isn’t the first superhero-adjacent character to dive into the realm of horror; others have tried before and didn’t quite get the expected shine. Either it was a “try-hard” project or it didn’t try hard enough to please audiences. However, this is DC’s first attempt at something other than capes, magic rings, and aliens to tell a tragic ground-level story and remind us that the fight isn’t always up in the clouds or in some cases other realities. 

Fitting into the DC Universe

My biggest concern was how “Clayface” would fit into the overall DC Universe. Superman being the symbol of hope, you would always expect a family-friendly from any project he’s attached to. But this isn’t Big Blue, and it’s definitely not Metropolis. This is Gotham, the modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah, where the worst of the worst are in play on every corner and the Bat is nowhere to be found. It has all the familiar traits of past depictions of the city: dark, gloomy, with too many mouths to feed and not enough to go around type vibe. It’s surely a change in genre but it’s still very much part of the same overarching story. The world is getting stranger by the day. Without hitting you over the head with exposition about events happening elsewhere, or name-dropping a Justice League member, the film tries—and succeeds—at being its own thing. 

I believe the goal of director James Watkins (“Eden Lake,” “Speak No Evil”) was to tell a story about a man so vain that he is willing to do anything to become what he once was, unaware that his motivations—as righteous as they may seem—are incremental steps toward turning him into an unrecognizable monster. In that sense, the mission was accomplished.

Gotham Feels a Little Hallow

It is, however, disappointing that time wasn’t taken to flesh out some of the key players in the city (such as the Maroni and Falcone crime families). Instead, the film focuses on surface-level individuals who definitely won’t be missed or mentioned again: the stereotypical mobster, the arm-candy girl, and the going-against-the-grain cop. They don’t feel authentic, and their tropes feel completely played out. No one adds anything special—they are just present to play an archetype. The only exception to this is the film’s lead.

Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) is a young actor with a promising future ahead of him, caught in an unfortunate situation. Seemingly in the first act, before his run-in with Gotham’s underbelly, his life appears to be perfect. From first contact, you watch his descent from a rising star to a repulsive everyday Joe. The film wastes no time stripping away the glamour; almost instantly, spotlights and big illuminated stages are replaced by dark corners in dimly lit rooms. The medical condition/treatment allows Hagen to operate in the shadows, opening the floor for some neat camera tricks and misdirection. The actual transformation varies depending on the situation, at times, it really pushes that R rating with grotesque skin deterioration or stomach-turning metamorphosis, with the tearing and sounds of shifting for good measure. Quick cutaways or blinking at the wrong time comes at the price of a minuscule detail being overlooked. 

Leaves You Wanting More

While I hoped to feel genuine fear during this feature, it only managed to make me squeamish in ways I didn’t expect. The horror elements were brief and didn’t even surface until well into the second half, where they were promptly sidelined by an unnatural and unnecessary erotic transference subplot. Much of the narrative felt rushed, leaving no room to develop the characters or the nuances that would make them compelling allies or adversaries. Ultimately, the film felt less like a character-driven story and more like a predictable setup for a stylish silhouette kill shot. 

“Clayface” has all the makings of a solid horror film, but in the end, I was left feeling underwhelmed and wishing I got more from it. I was a bit confused as to why this specific character was chosen if the goal was to explore more of the crime-infested streets of this fictional city. But I guess there are other characters in the future who will be better suited for that task.