Movie Review - Clayface
My brother, RunPee Dan, told me this one was a horror movie. I said yes before he finished the sentence.
He left out one tiny detail. It’s a DC movie.
I’m probably the only American who doesn’t enjoy those, and my brother knows it. The second I saw DC Studios on the screen, I reached for my phone to read him the riot act. Misleading his very own sister!
Then the movie started. Three minutes in, I forgot my phone existed.
I’ve seen every horror movie that’s come to theaters in the last 14 years. I have never once hid my eyes like a little girl. That streak ended today. It’s my job to scrutinize movies for the RunPee app, and it’s hard to take notes with your hands over your face. Clayface is rated R for a reason, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to visit me in my dreams tonight.
Credit where it’s due: Clayface was directed by James Watkins, the guy behind the Speak No Evil remake, and it was written by Mike Flanagan, who gave us Midnight Mass. Horror people made this. I should have known.
The pacing is a big part of why it works. It’s fast and it never lets up, so there’s no boring stretch where you can catch your breath. Just when you think you can relax, it grabs you again.
The story is good, really good, and the characters are a big part of it. They all bring a different style to the screen, and every one of them was fun to watch. The lead, Tom Rhys Harries, really sold it. I’d never seen him in anything before, but he’s officially on my radar now.
Fun fact: in the comics, Clayface started out as Basil Karlo, a horror movie actor who went mad. So my brother’s “it’s a horror movie” wasn’t a total lie.
When the credits rolled, I realized I was smiling. I was grinning like a fool at a movie that had just wrecked me. I walked in a skeptic and I’m walking out a believer.
If you liked this one, try The Fly (1986) or The Thing (1982) next.
Brother, I’m not mad. You tricked me, and I’m glad you did. I can finally say I liked a DC movie. Just don’t tell anyone.
Grade: B+
About The Peetimes: Read a synopsis of first 3 minutes of this movie.
There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Clayface.
| Rated: | () |
| Genres: | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller |
| USA release date: | 2026-10-23 |
| Movie length: | |
| Starring: | |
| Director: | James Watkins |
| Writer(s): | Mike Flanagan, Hossein Amini |
| Language: | en |
| Country: | US |
Plot
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 affects his grip on reality, spiraling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.