If there is one thing that DC has mastered, it’s spinoffs. Whether it is part of the new DC Universe (The Peacemaker et al) or Matt Reeves’ world (The Penguin), the studio has consistently churned out great standalone stories based on iconic DC characters. Clayface is just another example of why genre truly doesn’t matter in this universe. James Watkins sets up a world that is neither just nor fair, and Tom Rhys Harries gives us a tragic anti-hero in the mould of Jimmy McGill. The resulting cocktail is the Darkman of the 21st century and DC’s best outing since Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker pre-pandemic.
Because it confronts the realities of this world, and it wants you to see the injustice and pain it inflicts on our protagonist, clayface is grotesque. Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) is a Hollywood star who has just found his big break with a role that earns him an Oscar nomination. He is back in his hometown, Gotham, when a run-in with a gangster leaves him with a permanently scarred and disfigured face. A smear campaign leaves him with no career or reputation. A desperate Matt turns to Dr Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), a ‘fringe’ scientist whose experimental treatment might rebuild his face. But soon Matt realises he may have bitten off more than he can chew. As he fights his inner monster, Matt descends on the path to vengeance, resolving to deliver justice to all those who wronged him. Clayface is the brainchild of Mike Flanagan, and that should tell you everything you need to know about its tone and tenor. The film is shocking, repulsive, and at times, even funny. It will make you flinch, hold your breath, and cover your eyes in many moments. But none of that is overkill. James Watkins sets the tone for this early on when Matt Hagen is attacked by gangster Markos Szabo, going all out slasher style with the blood and gore. The film also does not shy away from shocking us with the ugliness thrust upon the blue-eyed Hollywood hero that Matt Hagen is.
A bit too clever for its own good
Clayface plants several seeds in its first act that later connect to the story. The only trouble is that these callbacks are very transparent. You know that when a pre-disfigurement Matt Hagen is on a talk show reciting a line about vengeance, he will say it again later. You know that his rival Oscar contender’s film – One Bad Night – is pretty much a summary of Matt’s life. And you know that Matt and Caitlyn’s tradition of bowing to each other has some greater significance. These elements were too in-your-face to be clever or hidden. Almost as if the director wanted not to be too subtle about them. The good thing is that the film’s pace doesn’t allow the viewer to linger on any one of them for long. And some of them actually make for good cinematic moments, despite the lack of subtlety. Clayface is carried by its protagonist. Tom Rhys Harries is brilliant as the ambitious Matt Hagen. He is talented and knows what he has fought to be where he is, which makes him somewhat arrogant. In contrast is Matt post his tragedy, where he has rage, frustration, and a sense of helplessness. Even through his prosthetics, Tom brings these emotions out beautifully. Naomi Ackie and Max Minghella fit their parts as Matt’s doctor, Caitlyn, and her cop boyfriend, John Borelli. The other standout performer is David Dencik as gangster Markos Szabo, bringing the much-needed menace and evil to this tale of vengeance.
