In the new film Clayface, audiences get a darker side of the Batman/DC Universe by getting a deeper and more sympathetic look at one of the Rogues Gallery Villains.
Life for actor Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) is going well. He has just been nominated for an Academy Award which he sees as validation for his life from a hard upbringing to successful and respected actor.
While celebrating in a club, he attracts the wrong girl and in doing so the attention of her boyfriend who leaves Matt horribly cut and disfigured. Matt soon finds himself without a career, support, finances, and his home due to questionable business decisions by a trusted advisor who was given Power of Attorney by Matt.
Matt spends his days hiding from the world as numerous surgeries have failed to alleviate his condition. In a moment of desperation he discovers Dr Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), who is experimenting with a type of Nanite treatments to repair genetic conditions.
Matt convinces her to begin trials on him and soon finds remarkable results that restore Matt to his former appearance. Matt basks in the spotlight to hit the Red Carpet but soon learns that the treatment can fade at times causing him to infuse himself with far larger a dose than was ever intended.
His emotional state triggers facial fluctuations. Being upset or nervous causes his face to melt, droop, or disfigure. He also discovers that can change his face to mimic others. This becomes a method for him to exact his revenge upon those who wronged him.
While the film leans hard on body horror, it is at the core a human drama where the motivations of the character are understandable and even sympathetic. There are moments of humor and action in between the gruesome moments but they are all in context with the story and characters. This allows the movie to rise above others in the genre.
Director James Watkins was reportedly working with a budget of just $30 million budget, small by modern standards— yet the visuals in the film hold up well. It will be interesting to see if more films like this come from DC. It was a bold and rewarding move to make a film focusing on a lesser-known Batman Villain. Clayface is an emotional thriller and one of the best comic book movies to date.
4 stars out of 5
Gareth is the mastermind behind the popular pop media site Skewed and Reviewed. He lives in Arizona with his wife Em McBride.
