Review: Clayface – “Horrifying, funny and engrossing.”

Coming out in time for Halloween, Clayface is a body horror film exploring themes of vanity, revenge and love, but in its brief runtime, its exploration of these themes remains (ironically) superficial. Starring Tom Harries as Matt Hagen, a brilliant actor and rising star in Hollywood whose aspirations of staying in the limelight are cut short when he falls victim to the mob and is viciously disfigured.

Following his attack, Matt falls from grace, losing his fame and wealth while trying to prove (in the corrupt city of Gotham) that he is the victim of the cruel mob boss Marcos Szabo (David Dencik). It’s not long before he turns to experimental scientist Dr Corr (Naomi Acke) to reconstruct his face so he can rebuild his career. The experiment works for a time but soon the side effects begin to turn his whole body to clay. If this sounds familiar, it’s because this is an adaptation of the titular DC comic book villain, similar to the approach taken with Joker (2019), although this time the absence of Batman or a wider universe helps Clayface focus on its more intimate cast and compelling story.

Throughout the film, you’re treated to several scenes of body horror, to the point that by the end I was surprised how desensitised I was to watching Matt have his face cut open. This film is definitely not for the squeamish.

While his sense of identity starts to fall apart, he begins taking on the “roles” of other people, such as the long list of those who have wronged him, beginning his quest for revenge. I was also surprised by how funny the film could be, especially when the film becomes a serial killer movie and Matt starts to take on the forms of his victims as he scurries away from each crime scene, Freaky Friday style. As a man made of clay, the death scenes are both vicious and inventive, yet they are also a little cathartic in a twisted form of justice. Though make no mistake, Clayface is the villain, whether or not his victims are innocent.

Clayface’s only redeeming relationship is with Dr Corr, as the two build a friendship akin to the Phantom of the Opera (mask and all). Although Dr Corr’s fiancé is a detective tasked with investigating the bizarre deaths following Matt’s rampage.

Clayface is horrifying, funny and engrossing. While some audiences might want a bigger connection to the wider DC superhero universe, but in the same way that the recent TV show Lanterns didn’t require you to know about the Green Lanterns, Clayface doesn’t really require you to know much about the DC universe. The film builds and builds to a third act that is definitely worth the wait.

Clayface hits cinemas on 23rd October 2026.