Clayface is one of the most tragic villains in DC lore, and the center of one of the greatest episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. I've long wanted the character to show up in a live-action movie, but the technology needed to pull it off wasn't really there until recently. Unfortunately, the makeup and VFX are the only things to write home about in this cliché-ridden disappointment.
Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, a young actor about to take the next leap in his craft and his fame. But after he hooks up with the girlfriend of a mob boss (David Dencik), Matt suffers intensely. The don's goons slice his pretty face. Matt's two-timing business manager clears out his accounts. Even his old friends make up damning stories about his past.
In a short amount of time, Matt's lost his career, his reputation, and his luxurious life. So at rock bottom, he seeks out Dr. Caitlyn Core (Naomi Ackie), a research scientist who's developed synthetic skin cells. With nothing to lose, Matt agrees to unsanctioned human trials. His good looks return, but he suffers from disgusting side effects and develops a hotter temper.
This has all the makings of a solid revenge film. Alas, Clayface wants to be more than that. It also wants to be a body horror flick, a crime epic, and a tragic romance. It only succeeds at the former, cranking up the gore unapologetically.
In one scene – as played up in the trailers – Matt attempts to cut open his eyelids on a turbulent flight. The audience I saw it with was wincing and groaning loudly throughout. It's sickening and compelling; the kind of scene you watch through your fingers. There are plenty of kills that are equally revolting. But one problem is that Matt's powers are ill-defined. Depending on the needs of a scene, he can look exactly like anyone he chooses. He can also fashion his skin into any type of weapon. And apparently grow or shrink in size, too. Sometimes he's in control of his mutations and other times it's pure reflex. It may look cool, but it's nonsensical.
And that's mostly the fault of the writing. Credited to horror maestro Mike Flanagan (Prime Video's new Carrie series) and Hossein Amini (Drive), the script is a jumble of rote crime story beats, down to the one cop who's not getting paid off (Max Minghella). Now, good acting can sell weak dialogue. But the film's best performances are merely fine. The supporting cast is populated with the most available European performers, none of whom make an impression. Even the great character actor Eddie Marsan is left out to dry.
Clayface has some impressive technical aspects, but they don't do anything more than put an attractive face on damaged goods.
