‘Clayface’ is not about a pottery villain…but it teaches that selfish intentions can have life molding consequences

By Becca Taylor

Content Warning: This film contains brief explicit nudity, intense gore scenes and heavy language.

Have you ever done something so out of line to get what you wanted – only to find out that your circumstances changed for the worse? Everyone in the world has had at least one of those moments in their life, and astounding B-list actor Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) is a profound example of these exact moments. 

While living the high life, being on talk shows and thriving in front of the camera, Matt Hagen has it all. The parties. The clubs. The nominations. It is everything an actor could ever wish for. However, one fateful morning, he wakes up to find three infuriated men crowding around his bed – kicking out the sleeping woman next to him. It turns out that this sleeping woman is Mia Torrez (Joana Ribeiro), the girlfriend of a Gotham City mob boss. 

These men suddenly pin Matt down, brutally slicing up his face. Within seconds, his career has plummeted. His once high life has been tossed out the window. He has lost the trust of his agent, his money handler and any fanbase praise he once received. Over the next few months, he has a total of six plastic surgeries – all in an attempt to get his career back. He leaves his home and finds refuge in a small studio apartment in the alleyways of Gotham. 

When Matt believes he has hit deeper than rock bottom, he discovers the beautiful Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), a nanotechnologist that may be able to heal what he believes to be broken. Through small, frequent injections of nanocells over the course of weeks, he is finally able to regain his fame and show his face to the public. This only lasts for a small period of time until his once beautiful face starts melting.

He rushes back to the lab in fear, urging Dr. Corr to use all of her injections at once. She offers her concern, but this does not stop him from injecting himself and returning back to normal. 

The side effects are drastic. As Matt Hagen may seem like his usual self through his normal voice and charming behavior, his body has other plans. He discovers that not only can he change his face, but he can change his entire appearance as well.

This gory imagery has the audience wanting to crawl out of their seats in fear, but also forces them to wait and see what happens next. Matt is torn between wanting his old life back and sacrificing everything for the sake of horrifying revenge. 

If James Watkins’ goal for this movie was to make his audience drop their jaws in disgust and close their eyes in horror, then he succeeds tenfold. The D.C. Universe is always unique and twisted in its own ways, and the origin of the villain “Clayface” does not disappoint. It is sick and gory beyond definition, and its themes are just as odd.

Matt Hagen wants revenge like no other. He thrives on the idea of achieving it someday in order to salvage his career. However, his addiction to getting what he wants causes his entire life to fall apart completely – including his identity. 

Sometimes what sounds like the best option may become the worst decision made. In this case, Hagen wants to justify every motive in his mind for committing the crimes he does. His intentions are selfish and regrettable, and it makes the audience plead for the clock to turn back time. For the entire film, the viewers are at the edge of their seats wondering if he can right his wrongs…or if he will make them worse. 

This film is on another level of gore and I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 18. There are several explicit scenes and vulgar language as well as extreme violence. If anyone is interested in the D.C. Universe and has a high tolerance for bloodbaths and face molding, be sure to watch this with someone else. If one wishes to be scared, be scared with a companion. 

“Clayface” is currently playing in theaters.

Becca Taylor is a freshman Professional Writing and Information Design major and A&E Writer. 

She is thankful that she has a high tolerance for disgustingly intense scenes.

Images courtesy of 6th & Idaho Productions, British Film Commision and DC Studios