When I walked out of my press screening for Clayface last week, I was pretty sure about what would happen on the day reviews came out for the next of upcoming DC movies: mixed reactions. And here we are: I called it, but there’s something a lot of critics are connecting on that I was more on the fence about. Curiouser and curiouser.
As far as where I stand on Clayface, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5. I think DC’s shot at one of their own horror movies has highs and lows, but overall I’m happy it exists, and that I went out to see it. However, I was more impressed with Matt Hagen’s character arc than its horror.
The movie especially grabbed me in the second half and made up for a lot of gross moments in the first half that started to feel more flashy than visceral to me as the movie went along. But if there’s one thing other critics are thoroughly praising, it’s the body horror. As The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck wrote:
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Utilizing superb practical effects to a large degree, in addition to CGI, Clayface is the sort of pleasurable gross-out experience that will have audiences turning their eyes and shifting in their seats while loving every minute.
Look, I think Clayface’s body horror is effective. As many reviews point out, the plane sequence is a masterclass in tension. I definitely won’t be forgetting seeing that scene in the theater anytime soon. Still, I’m surprised more reviews are talking about how the movie sometimes feels like it’s simply setting us up for the next bloody scene. Here’s what The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee said on the topic:
What the film does do is successfully gross us out, as Matt’s skin starts to morph in tune with his emotional state, which might be enough for some and in the screening I attended, mostly filled with rowdy non-journalists, there was a vocal response to the goriest and gloopiest moments.
Clayface’s strengths for me lie in its ability to take a comic book character and give him a distinct standalone film that doesn’t feel too tethered to DC’s larger world. It feels as much like an experiment, just like its protagonist, Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), becomes during Clayface. I thought the gore was well-played in some sequences, and totally lacking in others. I just don’t think horror fans are going to inherently like this just because there’s a lot of gore. Here’s what Deadline’s Glenn Garner says:
Whether you’re a comic book nerd or a horror junkie, Clayface is worth the price of admission for its genre-driven approach to a lesser known character, hopefully serving as a roadmap for the DCU’s onscreen future.
I appreciated this honest take from Michael Walsh for Nerdist. He revealed that the movie’s body horror is difficult to watch, which I think will ring true for a lot of viewers:
You might love how gruesome it is, but I frequently found myself unable to watch. And I mean that literally. That’s a pretty good compliment for any horror film, but it’s especially true for a story about a handsome actor who turns into a giant goo killing machine whose grotesque body is the ultimate weapon.
When CinemaBlend spoke to director James Watkins, he talked about his journey to balance the horror. Obviously, coming into this movie, it just wouldn’t feel right if there were not enough scares, but I wanted to feel them more as attached to his emotional arc rather than simply another set piece. Here’s how Empire’s Sophie Butcher characterized the flick:
It’s certainly different, and for comic book movie fans absolutely bored to death by the same old stuff, it’s something of a respite. Yet, divorced from all that, Watkins’ film confounds much more than it compels.
After initial reactions had us excited for its “funny” and “romantic” elements, the reviews definitely build a more rounded approach to the upcoming film. We’ll have to see how successful Clayface is in theaters when it comes out this weekend and if this experiment will inspire more horror titles from DC Studios.