Matt Hagen’s story is a compelling tragedy of a man forced to live as the very monster he never wanted to be. JP gives his take on DC’s “Clayface,” starring Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie.
Clayface (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Directed by James Watkins
- Screenplay by Mike Flanagan, Hossein Amini
- Story by Mike Flanagan
- Based on Characters from DC
- Produced by Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, James Gunn, Peter Safran
- Starring Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan
About “Clayface”:
DC Studios’ “Clayface” is a horror thriller from director James Watkins, starring Tom Rhys Harries in the title role of the cult favorite villain from Gotham’s rogues gallery. Matt Hagen’s meteoric rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is tragically cut short when a local crime boss’s actions leave him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self… but also unexpectedly aKects his grip on reality, spiraling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.
J.P.’s Take:
The DCU’s foray into the horror scene comes just in time for the spooky season. With Halloween just around the corner, “Clayface” finds seasoned horror masters writer Mike Flanagan, co-writer Hossein Amini, and director James Watkins teaming up to spin a tale of Hollywood stardom that turns into scandal, then tragedy, with a touch of horror for thrills. Fans have been eagerly waiting for DC to finally bring one of Batman’s iconic baddies to life, and I, too, am pleased with their new approach. This could really shape the direction of their entire universe in the future.
We’re first introduced to Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), Tinseltown’s newest shooting star, riding on the high of winning his first Academy Award, which will open doors for his flourishing career. That is until that one-night Matt and his best friend Corey Bowery (Joshua James) partied a little too hard that at the club. But, like any twisted Hollywood tale, things take a turn for the worse. Matt meets an entrancing woman named Mia Torrez (Joana Ribeiro) who slips him some kind of drug, and the two end up spending the night together … in her luxury apartment. When the two of them wake, Mia’s mob-boss boyfriend Marko Szabo (David Dencik) and his goon surround them.
The real nightmare kicks off when Matt and Mia are terrorized by Szabo, as he doesn’t take too kindly to a pretty-boy movie star in his girlfriend’s arms, and he takes his frustration out on Matt in the most grueling fashion. Mia is forced to watch. If, like me, you’re squirmy about knives being involved in situations like this, brace yourself, because what happens to Matt is definitely going to make you squirm. I cringed at the relentless slicing and dicing, which sets the stage for more horror to come. This shocking moment of violence is just the beginning, paving the way for even more gruesome body horror to unfold.
As Matt begins to face the cracks in his life, this period marks a significant turning point for him, igniting a fierce desire for vengeance against those who have wronged him and countless others. The unraveling of his world serves as a catalyst, pushing him to channel his pain into a relentless pursuit of justice — If you can call it that. And when those moments come, they happen swiftly and eerily. Not only does this complex situation fuel his actions, but it also deepens his character, as he grapples with his sanity and morality. The way it plays out is also the most intriguing and slightly grotesque to watch. Matt is transformed into the monster that we come to know as Clayface later on, yet these moments are allowed to gestate and build on the circumstances that break him. It’s also facilitated by a fringe scientist he befriends, named Dr. Caitlin Corr (Naomi Ackie), who he strikes up an odd relationship with midstream. She’s the one who helps him restore his image literally and figuratively, being the creator of a treatment for disfigurement using nanotechnology, which Matt undergoes.
Release (Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)
Utilizing the R rating given this film, oh, what fun Flanagan, Hossein, and Watkins have with this character, as he destroys his enemies in the most gruesome ways, with calculating and satisfying results. As Matt’s newfound powers start to show, he goes on a rampage, using them to his advantage. The stakes are high, and with each step he takes, the weight of his past and the injustices he witnesses only intensify his resolve to make things right. I truly felt for Matt in the end, as the monster that he’s become still remains, and he is forced to live with this tragedy.
When it was all said and done, I felt like this is the direction DC should be going in, and I am certainly curious as to how “Clayface” will connect with the other entities in the DCU.
Official Site: Clayface
