Just in time for Halloween, DC Studios’ first live-action horror movie, “Clayface,” showcases the origin story of a notorious Batman villain. Released nationwide on Friday, the R-rated movie disturbs with its gory body horror, providing a horrifying reflection on beauty, obsession and fame.
Tom Rhys Harries plays up-and-coming actor Matt Hagen, whose face is brutally mutilated after mob boss Markos Szabo (David Dencik) takes revenge after finding Hagen in bed with his girlfriend. Distraught and desperate, Hagen turns to experimental scientist Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), whose work with “nanocells,” AI-enchanced skin cells, gives Hagen a chance to return back to normal. As the first human trial, Hagen discovers the deadly side effects of biotechnology.
As Hagen’s mental state continues to decline after the loss of his career, his physical appearance follows, the nanocells reacting to his unstable emotional state. From large injection needles to using scissors to cut his stuck-together eyelids apart on an airplane during turbulence, director James Watkins (“Eden Lake”) proves himself an expert at making audience members cover their eyes and leave the theatre feeling unnerved.
The plot centers around Hagen’s quest for revenge on those who hurt him, specifically Szabo and those connected to him. After overdosing the nanocells, Hagen, with his newfound ability to shapeshift, starts a murder spree as his hatred consumes him. Although set in Gotham, the film includes no Batman appearances, separating itself from the larger story in the DC universe with a standalone story accessible for general audiences.
The screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini reflects upon a larger theme of identity as Hagen grapples with his own self-understanding, seeming to forget himself as he takes on masks of other people. Moments where Hagen’s face literally disappears highlight his loss of self throughout the movie.
“The people I trusted betrayed me,” Hagen said. “The justice system failed me. They stole my career, my money, my life. I’m a monster.”
Hagen’s relationship with Corr, who he knows is engaged to another man, serves as a grounding mechanism as Hagen’s physical form continues to melt into a gooey mess of flesh and skin. Harries’ performance is award worthy as he conveys a villain in a way that allows viewers to empathize with an otherwise extremely unrelatable character.
The ending leaves the story with a possibility of a sequel, but wraps up the narrative enough to give the audience a weirdly satisfying conclusion and a lot left to think about. As DC’s first horror film, “Clayface” serves as a stomach-churning amalgamation of body horror and reflection of identity, inviting both newcomers and fans alike to watch the beginnings of a supervillain.
4 ½ revenge sprees out of 5
