Did the DCU need a supervillain origin movie to set up one of Batman’s adversaries? Probably not, but I think this movie has a lot of reasons to exist.
Matt Hagen, aka Clayface, is an interesting character, and the fact that we get to see his origin before he hopefully takes on Batman is awesome. Villains hardly get the chance to develop in superhero movies. There are a few exceptions, but in most cases, they feel like an afterthought. That said, the only thing that can make this movie really worth it is if Clayface faces Batman.
Clayface in itself is a great film, much better than I expected. I don’t usually like body horror, but for some reason, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen. It was horrific but exciting. I think the practical effects really took this film to the next level.
Tom Rhys Harries delivers a fantastic performance, as do the other people Clayface briefly shapeshifts into. Clayface is basically a group project, and somehow, it works. The supporting cast is really awesome, and it’s great to see how each of them basically leads Matt into fully embracing the monster he became.
I know Mike Flanagan wrote the initial script, and there are still elements of his storytelling in the film, but I think what Hossein Amini and director James Watkins settled on made this film worth watching. The film feels grounded and still feels like it can fit into the whole Gods and Monsters theme of the DCU.
The film, however, isn’t perfect. I wish it connected more to the DCU to make the universe feel more established. I also feel that, since it’s set in Gotham, there should’ve been more references to the Dark Knight. I can go on and on about how parts of the story didn’t work for me, but ultimately, I still really enjoyed the film.
It’s not just a good comic book film, but also a great horror film. Now, this movie has a lot of gore, so I won’t recommend it for sensitive viewers. It definitely earned its R rating. Is it the best DCU film? No, but I think it takes this universe in an interesting direction that gets me excited for its future. It’s an easy 3.5 out of 5 stars for me.
