Clayface Review: The DC Movie That Won Me Over
Image Courtesy of DC Studios/Warner Bros.
First off, Mike Flanagan could write an anime and Im there With Halloween season in full swing, my craving for scary movies and TV shows is through the roof. As a girl who isn’t really into comics or superheroes, I wasn’t expecting my next horror fix to come from DC. But damn, Clayface was good.
Directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan (my favourite) and Hossein Amini, the movie follows actor Matt Hagen, whose career is shattered when a mob boss brutally disfigures him. Desperate to get his face and his life back, he turns to a scientist offering a possible solution. Naturally, things get messy.
But let’s back up a little. Matt has worked his way from the tough streets of Gotham to Hollywood, and some of that success has gone to his head. His ego leads him into a reckless decision with consequences far beyond anything he could have imagined. I could question his judgement and still feel awful watching his life fall apart. Making a bad decision doesn’t mean you deserve to have your life destroyed.
That’s where Clayface gave me more to think about than I expected. The body horror is tied to a story about identity, love, obsession and revenge, with Matt trying to recover much more than his face.
Image Courtesy of DC Studios/Warner Bros.
Everyone loves to say looks aren’t everything, and honestly, I agree. But for Matt, played by Tom Rhyss Harries, they’re tied to more than vanity. His looks and talent helped take him from the streets of Gotham to Hollywood, so losing his face also threatens everything he’s worked for. I felt for my boy, because I can’t imagine having that life ripped away so brutally.
That sympathy becomes more complicated as his desire for “justice” turns into revenge. When it feels like the whole world has turned its back on you, getting even can seem like a way to take some control back. But that feeling can become addictive. Matt’s pain feeds his anger, and punishing others becomes more important than rebuilding his own life. I could understand where that anger came from, even when I couldn’t justify what he did with it.
That brings me to Dr. Caitlyn Corr, played by Naomi Ackie, whose experimental treatment offers Matt some hope. She’s also working with very little support, so there’s a shared vulnerability between them. Their connection is where the film’s ideas about identity and obsession come together for me. When you’ve lost so much of what made you feel valued, it’s easy to cling to someone who offers you a way forward. The danger comes when that person becomes the foundation of your entire sense of worth.
Image Courtesy of DC Studios/Warner Bros.
The cast did a really good job, especially Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie. I believed the connection between Matt and Caitlyn, which made it easier to care about both of them. Some of the side performances could’ve been better, but nothing that ruined the movie for me.
The practical effects were pretty great too, and some of those scenes are nasty. If cuts and bleeding make you squirm, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Some of the CGI looked a little rough, but considering the budget, I could give it a pass. The soundtrack was good too and helped set the mood.
I wasn’t sitting there scared out of my mind, though. What got to me was how horrible people can be, and how pain and anger can turn someone into the very thing they hate. That’s what I usually like about Mike Flanagan’s stories. They don’t always scare me, but they leave me thinking. I’m glad they didn’t clean up all that ugliness just to squeeze the movie into a PG-13 rating.
Image Courtesy of DC Studios/Warner Bros.
I really enjoyed Clayface, and it’s the first DC or Marvel movie that’s connected with me like this. I’m usually not into the whole superhero thing, so I’d love to see these studios take more chances with different genres and stories. There are people who might skip the usual superhero movie but happily give something like this a try. I’m one of them, and if branching out brings in a few more fans like me, that can only be a good thing.