By Marc S. Sanders
The comic book origin story has become a tired trope in movies. The hero experiences a traumatic event and gains either an epiphany or enhanced abilities that deem him/her for especially unique purposes. Then they face off against their antagonist and sum up their encounter with the love interest or by reciting a voiceover journal to the viewer. Roll credits with a promise that “Widget Man Will Return.” Sound familiar, right?
That’s all well and good but I’m not yet exhausted over a villain origin story like Wicked promised for example. (I’ve had mixed feelings about Joaquin Phoenix’ Joker movies.) Clayface is a b-villain character spawned out of the crime ridden Gotham City to face off against Batman. I’ve been hearing that it was modern horror wunderkind Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, the 2026 Carrie series) who approached DC production captain James Gunn with conceptualizing a film for the shape shifting mud monster. Who would have guessed that the adaptation would be an absolute thrill of grotesque body horror with a sentimental affinity for the main character, “Coast City” movie star Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries?
This actor plays a famous actor who sleeps with the wrong woman, only to have his vanity brought down to negative one thousand when her gangster boyfriend (David Dencik) permanently disfigures his face with an assortment of sharp edges. Matt’s world is essentially destroyed. His high-powered agent abandons him. He loses out on winning an Oscar. His wealth is embezzled and he endures one personal betrayal after another. He discovers that Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie) has been experimenting with chemicals that one day might intelligently alter human cellular structure. After much convincing, she agrees to use Matt as a test subject. When full restoration arrives, Matt is on his way to rejuvenating his fame and fortune, but he and Caitlyn do not account for the jaw slouching, eye drooping and crusty side effects or for the surprising ability to personify other people. All of this will emerge as a blessing or a curse.
Clayface works because director James Watkins has a lot of fun with infinite inventions that come with sculpting this guy, Matt, and the seedy world of misanthropes he inhabits. The body count rapidly increases as the very entertaining and wince inducing exposition of this Frankenstein story carries on. I imagine a lot of the actors had fun being killed on screen in truly inventive ways only to see their name on the next day’s call sheet to come back because now Matt Hagen has assumed their appearance as a means to undo the next traitor in his path.
The skills of this Clayface are awesome. They are reminiscent of what the liquid Terminator could do, and it’s only right this story of a movie star-pretty boy salutes a lot of Hollywood favorites including The Thing, The Shining, and The Godfather Part II while drawing inspiration from the crafts of David Cronenberg, (The Fly, Dead Ringers).
Yes, the origin story might have been done to death by now, but if creators allow their imaginations to soar, especially with such a flexible character, the possibilities are endless for what can be accomplished.
The cast of unknowns are equally as surprising as the collective unfamiliar faces discovered in the other horror hit from this year, Obsession. Tom Rhys Harries is ready to do anything. He plays suffering very well and the movie does not over-mire itself in misery. As the monster persona evolves, Harries goes in unexpected directions with his character, including a favorite kitch of mine. He breaks out in a group dance sequence that is never expected of this non-musical screenplay. His forbidden love story with Ackie’s smartly sensible character offers a lot of effective conflict to keep the picture engaging. Their will they/won’t they angle lends something else to the film because simply a warpath of revenge and casualties can get stale. Max Minghella (The Social Network) plays Ackie’s fiancée and the persistent cop who follows the clues.
Clayface is the absolute best installment in James Gunn’s DC Cinematic Universe. It provides amazing effects with a challenging story and a well-drawn Gotham City ridden with crime and interesting ugliness. Director James Watkins deserves a lot of credit because he did not need to rely on the famed Dark Knight or a go to commissioner or a giggling, mischievous, brightly colored lunatic. This picture is a perfectly crafted introduction to an overused environment that has not looked so refreshing in years.
Clayface may open interest for those seeking to learn more about this very capable and powerful villain. DC comics actually has two different documented origins to the guy of glop, but the loss of vanity and pride are what’s really fascinating about this Batman baddie.
I deliver the highest of compliments because this monster mash Jekyll & Hyde left me eager for more.
