Clayface Review: Tom Rhys Harries saves DC’s latest from being a stick in the mud

Tom Rhys Harries delivers an inspired performance as Matt Hagen, aka Clayface, elevating a gruesome blend of body horror and revenge thriller. Unfortunately, the film’s predictable revenge plot and underdeveloped romance prevent Clayface from reaching its full potential. Despite Naomi Ackie’s committed performance, the love story never finds its footing.

Elements of Mike Flanagan’s original story suggest a far more compelling film than the one credited screenwriter Hossein Amini ultimately delivers. However, Harries’ commanding performance, impressive visual effects, and Gotham City’s grimy atmosphere help overcome the uneven storytelling. The result is a flawed but entertaining film that surpasses DC’s other 2026 release, Supergirl.

Clayface Overview

Fresh off an Academy Award nomination, actor Matt Hagen (Harries) finds his promising career destroyed after a brutal encounter with Gotham City crime lord Markos Szabo. Disfigured and abandoned by Hollywood, Matt turns to Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Ackie), whose experimental treatment offers a chance to reclaim his former life. However, the procedure comes with horrifying consequences that send Matt down a dark path of revenge.

Harries delivers a captivating performance, capturing Matt’s desperation and growing instability as his physical transformation takes a psychological toll. Ackie is equally committed, but the romantic subplot between Matt and Caitlyn never feels convincing. Matt’s attraction is obvious, while Caitlyn’s feelings remain underdeveloped, particularly given her engagement to a genuinely decent man.

The screenplay also struggles to make it clear whether Matt deserves sympathy. Questions surrounding his troubled past remain frustratingly ambiguous, making his descent into violence difficult to reconcile. Meanwhile, Szabo lacks the menace needed to make him a compelling antagonist, and the revenge plot offers few surprises.

Director James Watkins fares better with the film’s unsettling atmosphere and grotesque visual effects. Gotham City feels appropriately grimy and dangerous, providing an ideal backdrop for Matt’s transformation. The body horror is impressive, although it never reaches the disturbing heights of The Substance or David Cronenberg’s The Fly. A spectacular third-act fight sequence provides a welcome payoff, showcasing the creative possibilities of Clayface’s abilities.

Despite its narrative shortcomings, Clayface succeeds as an atmospheric horror thriller, largely thanks to Harries’ performance and the film’s striking visuals.

Clay Modeling

Matt’s transformation into Clayface is as much psychological as physical, with his troubled upbringing and acting career laying the groundwork for his darker impulses. Growing up surrounded by violence in Gotham’s impoverished Narrows neighborhood, Matt views acting as an escape from a painful past. His success in Hollywood offers more than fame and fortune. It gives him an opportunity to become someone entirely different.

Early in the film, Matt describes acting as a way to transform ugly emotions into something beautiful. This perspective darkens as his story unfolds. His ability to assume different identities becomes a twisted extension of the profession that once defined him.

Harries excels at portraying the conflict between Matt’s desire to be the actor he was and the anger lurking beneath his charming exterior. His performance suggests someone who has spent years suppressing his worst impulses rather than confronting them.

Unfortunately, the screenplay never fully explores how much of Matt’s violent behavior stems from his upbringing or his increasingly unstable condition. His past offers a compelling explanation for his anger, but the film leaves too many questions about his character unanswered.

A fascinating tragedy lies beneath Matt’s journey. A man who spent his life pretending to be other people ultimately loses the ability to recognize himself. Harries makes that internal struggle compelling, even when the screenplay fails to give it the attention it deserves.

Muddy Waters

The romance between Matt and Caitlyn is arguably Clayface‘s biggest narrative weakness. Matt’s attraction to the doctor who saved his life is understandable, but the screenplay never explains why Caitlyn would feel the same. Her compassion and fascination with his condition make sense. Her willingness to jeopardize her engagement does not.

Worse, Caitlyn’s fiancé, detective John Borrelli (Max Minghella), is one of the film’s few genuinely decent characters. Minghella brings warmth and sincerity to a man who clearly loves Caitlyn and takes his responsibilities as a police officer seriously. There’s little evidence that their relationship is troubled, which makes Caitlyn’s prolonged indecision hard to accept.

Ackie does her best to sell the romance, but her character lacks the emotional development needed to make the love triangle compelling. The screenplay seems more interested in creating romantic tension than giving Caitlyn a believable reason to question her future with John.

The revenge plot fares little better. Markos Szabo (David Dencik) is a particularly disappointing antagonist, lacking the intimidating presence expected from a powerful Gotham City crime lord. Dencik never makes Szabo feel like a credible threat, especially as Matt becomes increasingly dangerous.

The film also telegraphs nearly every development in Matt’s quest for vengeance. Without meaningful surprises or a formidable adversary, the revenge story becomes a predictable exercise rather than a compelling thriller.

Clayface Final Thoughts

Clayface is a frustrating example of a film with all the ingredients for something special but a screenplay that struggles to bring them together. Harries gives a committed, emotionally charged performance that deserves a stronger story. His portrayal of Matt Hagen provides a compelling foundation for a psychological horror film about identity, trauma and the destructive nature of obsession.

Director James Watkins deserves credit for embracing the character’s grotesque potential rather than delivering another conventional comic book adaptation. The practical and visual effects are consistently impressive, while Gotham City feels like a living, breathing environment rather than a generic backdrop.

Unfortunately, the underdeveloped romance, forgettable villain and predictable revenge plot prevent Clayface from joining the ranks of great body horror films. Matt’s psychological journey gives the film enough substance to be worth watching, but the screenplay never fully capitalizes on its most interesting ideas.

Ultimately, Clayface is a worthwhile addition to DC’s growing cinematic universe, even if it falls short of its considerable potential. Harries makes Matt Hagen a fascinating character. It’s an alright movie that occasionally hints at greatness, making its shortcomings all the more disappointing.