If you have an aversion to gook and gore, you'd do well to skip Clayface, the latest big-screen addition to the DC Comics universe.
It may help to think of the movie as a specialty item, an under-hyped comic book offering that mixes body horror and low-grade sci-fi as it streams bloody set pieces through a revenge-oriented tale.
Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a handsome actor whose career is about to take a forward leap after he receives an Oscar nomination.
Humbled by recognition but also exhilarated by the possibilities that are about to open for him, Hagen makes a major mistake. He sleeps with the sexy moll (Joana Ribeiro) of a major Gotham mob boss (David Dencik).
In an act of brutal revenge, Dencik's Szabo carves up Hagen's face, putting an end to a blossoming career and sending the dejected actor back to the poor Gotham neighborhood where he grew up. Cue the urban decay.
But wait. There's hope.
A research scientist (an appealing Naomi Ackie) has developed a technique to restore damaged flesh. Ackie's Caitlyn warily agrees to help the desperate actor. Of course, Caitlyn's serum -- brace for facial injections -- works.
His face restored, Hagen's en route to a career reboot, but results of the procedure prove short-lived. In an effort to sustain his looks, Hagen overdoses on the "miracle" drug, again recovering his looks -- albeit with harrowing side effects.
The rest of the movie involves set pieces built around these side effects, which are tied to Hagen's emotions. Let's just say, it's a short leap from anger to lethal revenge. Hagen also can change his appearance at will. When he experiences desire, he seems to become the object of his longing.
I didn't say any of this makes sense, but it isn't dull.
The supporting cast includes Eddie Marsan as Hagen's crooked manager, and Max Minghella as a detective who's engaged to Ackie's character and who complicates Hagen's growing love for the woman he regards as his savior.
I wouldn't dig for deeper meaning here. Director James Watkins (Speak No Evil) sticks to the movie's dark surface, unapologetically embracing what feels like a B-movie ethos and gruesome R-rated violence. He may be operating in a narrow niche, but he knows how to fill it.
It's worth pointing out that Clayface is destined to become one of Batman's villains, but this Clayface origins story leaves Batman for another day.
Finally, to provide an example of the movie's squirm-inducing sights, I'll point out that during one of his transitions from man to monster, Hagen's eyelids melt together. He uses a small pair of scissors to cut them apart. Don't say I didn't warn you.
