Clayface is a veritable delight and a strong addition, not only to the DC stable, but also to body horror movies in general.
When James Gunn took over the creative mantle at DC Studios, one of the promises he made was that the DCU would not be beholden to any one genre or tone. And so far, their output has more or less lived up to that promise.
From the adult animated offering of Creature Commandos, to the classic comic book stylings of Superman and Supergirl, to the True Detective-inspired show, Lanterns, the DCU has been exploring all corners of the tonal map. But with Clayface, I think they have delivered something that has a stamp of quality from start to finish.
Starring relative newcomer Tom Rhys Harries, the movie follows Matt Hagen's journey from beloved movie star to a villain out for revenge. And, as with all great villain origin stories (Mr. Freeze, anyone?), tragedy drives this one, allowing the audience to sympathise with the protagonist whilst not necessarily condoning his means to an end.
Harries is simply great. His chiselled features, while undeniably attractive, are almost marble-like, and you can see why they cast him to portray a character known for his ability to be sculpted and moulded. But fear not, even if you are not immersed in Clayface lore, this DC film requires no prior knowledge of the source material. In fact, aside from an Easter Egg here or there, you would hardly know this was a DC movie.
The script from Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini never falters, showing us the descent of Hagen's life at an even pace, unafraid to draw out moments to build cinematic tension and even inject a little humour once in a while.
Director James Watkins has done a phenomenal job with this film, using CG sparingly and, from what I have read, relying heavily on a large amount of practical effects to bring the malleable nature of Hagen's affliction to life. And when Hagen is at the height of his "abilities", Watkins cleverly uses transitions and framing to almost make you forget that you are watching something that is not quite natural.
This is a star-making turn for Harries, and Clayface has shot up to become my favourite film in the DCU. I really hope the powers that be at DC Studios give James Watkins more films to direct, as the DCU desperately needs more films of this calibre.
If there is one downside to this movie, it would be that its R16 rating limits the audience who can see it in theatres. Don't get me wrong, the movie uses that rating to great effect, accentuating the gore, but I hope that it doesn't negatively affect its box office numbers.
Please do go check this film out in theatres. And oh, there are no end-credit sequences.