Enter a Rotten Tomatoes movie slug to inspect the stored movie, batches, snapshots, and reviews.
Movie ID: 1056
RT slug: clayface
RT URL: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clayface
Release year: 2026
Runtime: —
Wide release date: 2026-10-23
Limited release date: —
Festival premiere date: —
Streaming release date: —
Tomatometer final: —
Audience score final: —
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Directors: James Watkins
Writers: Hossein Amini, Mike Flanagan
Producers: James Gunn, Lynn Harris, Matt Reeves, Peter Safran
MPAA rating: —
Executive Producers: —
Created: 2026-08-04 15:29:51
Updated: 2026-09-18 16:53:46
"Clayface" unravels one man's horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster in a story that explores the loss of one's identity and humanity, corrosive love, and the dark underbelly of scientific ambition.
—
Canonical reviews: 107
Canonical fresh: 80
Canonical rotten: 27
Canonical calculated Tomatometer: 107 (80/27), 75% (74.766% raw)
Latest snapshot UTC: 2026-10-22 20:32:03
Snapshot Tomatometer: 75%
Snapshot review count: 107
Snapshot fresh count: —
Snapshot rotten count: —
Source note: Imported from manual review paste batch #4795 (delta_update)
| Company | Role |
|---|---|
| Warner Bros. Pictures | distributor |
| 6th & Idaho Productions | production |
| DC Studios | production |
| Billing | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Rhys Harries | Matt Hagen |
| 2 | Naomi Ackie | Caitlyn Corr |
| 3 | David Dencik | — |
| 4 | Max Minghella | John |
| 5 | Eddie Marsan | — |
| Batch ID | Status | Mode | Created | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1072 | processed | — | 2026-08-04 15:29:51 | Processed successfully into movie_id=1056 using update_mode=merge_non_empty. |
| Batch ID | Local Snapshot | UTC Snapshot | Entered % | Entered Count | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4795 | 2026-10-22 15:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 20:32:03 | 75% | 107 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=2, rotten=1, tomatometer=67%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=2, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=107 reviews, 80 fresh, 27 rotten, tomatometer=75% (74.766%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (107 reviews, 75%). |
| 4789 | 2026-10-22 14:57:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 19:57:33 | 75% | 105 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 5 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=5, fresh=3, rotten=2, tomatometer=60%. Net new reviews added=5, fresh=3, rotten=2. Current canonical totals=104 reviews, 78 fresh, 26 rotten, tomatometer=75% (75.000%). WARNING: entered headline 105 reviews / 75% did not match current canonical totals 104 reviews / 75%. |
| 4781 | 2026-10-22 09:51:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 14:51:09 | 76% | 99 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=99 reviews, 75 fresh, 24 rotten, tomatometer=76% (75.758%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (99 reviews, 76%). |
| 4780 | 2026-10-22 09:22:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 14:22:06 | 76% | 97 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=2, rotten=1, tomatometer=67%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=2, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=98 reviews, 75 fresh, 23 rotten, tomatometer=77% (76.531%). WARNING: entered headline 97 reviews / 76% did not match current canonical totals 98 reviews / 77%. |
| 4778 | 2026-10-22 08:42:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 13:42:45 | 77% | 96 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=0, fresh=0, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=95 reviews, 73 fresh, 22 rotten, tomatometer=77% (76.842%). WARNING: entered headline 96 reviews / 77% did not match current canonical totals 95 reviews / 77%. |
| 4772 | 2026-10-22 08:16:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-22 13:16:32 | 77% | 95 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 12 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=12, fresh=11, rotten=1, tomatometer=92%. Net new reviews added=12, fresh=11, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=95 reviews, 73 fresh, 22 rotten, tomatometer=77% (76.842%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (95 reviews, 77%). |
| 4770 | 2026-10-21 17:01:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-21 22:01:12 | 75% | 83 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 6 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=6, fresh=5, rotten=1, tomatometer=83%. Net new reviews added=6, fresh=5, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=83 reviews, 62 fresh, 21 rotten, tomatometer=75% (74.699%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (83 reviews, 75%). |
| 4767 | 2026-10-21 16:31:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-21 21:31:21 | 74% | 77 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 10 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=10, fresh=7, rotten=3, tomatometer=70%. Net new reviews added=10, fresh=7, rotten=3. Current canonical totals=77 reviews, 57 fresh, 20 rotten, tomatometer=74% (74.026%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (77 reviews, 74%). |
| 4764 | 2026-10-21 15:07:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-21 20:07:26 | 74% | 69 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 41 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=41, fresh=32, rotten=9, tomatometer=78%. Net new reviews added=40, fresh=32, rotten=8. Current canonical totals=67 reviews, 50 fresh, 17 rotten, tomatometer=75% (74.627%). WARNING: entered headline 69 reviews / 74% did not match current canonical totals 67 reviews / 75%. |
| 4762 | 2026-10-21 14:15:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-21 19:15:38 | 77% | 44 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 27 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=27, fresh=18, rotten=9, tomatometer=67%. Net new reviews added=27, fresh=18, rotten=9. Current canonical totals=27 reviews, 18 fresh, 9 rotten, tomatometer=67% (66.667%). WARNING: entered headline 44 reviews / 77% did not match current canonical totals 27 reviews / 67%. |
| 4723 | 2026-10-20 08:13:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-20 13:13:05 | — | 1 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=1 reviews, 0 fresh, 1 rotten, tomatometer=0% (0.000%). WARNING: delta batch had no complete entered headline values, so no rt_score_snapshot row was created. |
| ID | Critic | Outlet | Fresh? | Score | RT Time Raw | Approx Published UTC | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 291958 | Brian Orndorf | Blu-ray.com | Fresh | B | 19 min ago | 2026-10-22 20:13:00 | "Clayface" has a few creative limitations, but it’s an enjoyably gruesome ride and sturdy origin story. |
| 291959 | Frank Swietek | One Guy's Opinion | Rotten | D | 26 min ago | 2026-10-22 20:06:00 | Literally sinks into the Gotham City sewer before adding an astonishingly misguided coda that throws any notion of morality into the trash heap. |
| 291960 | Renuka Vyavahare | The Times of India | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 47 min ago | 2026-10-22 19:45:00 | While its revenge arc feels inevitable and somewhat generic, it is the film’s portrayal of a world stripped of humanity and empathy that leaves the deepest impression. |
| 291931 | Alex Bentley | CultureMap | Rotten | — | 2026-10-22T18:25:30.000Z | 2026-10-22 18:25:30 | It’s difficult to imagine any non-DC Comics fans having a strong attachment to the character of Clayface, and the film fails to make the case that he should be a continuing character. |
| 291932 | Tomás Andrés Guerrero | Sensacine | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-22T18:25:27.000Z | 2026-10-22 18:25:27 | This is a feature film that is pure body horror in its most visceral and grotesque form, reminiscent of recent genre hits like The Substance or the Sitges Film Festival winner, Sanguine. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 291933 | Paula Vázquez Prieto | La Nación (Argentina) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-22T17:41:29.000Z | 2026-10-22 17:41:29 | It doesn't reach the darker, more solemn dimensions of The Batman...but it does expand the foundations of this reinvention of the DC universe of gods and monsters that is yet to come. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 291934 | Pablo O. Scholz | Clarín | Fresh | 4/4 | 2026-10-22T17:27:12.000Z | 2026-10-22 17:27:12 | The best thing about Clayface is that the pace never falters, and the character evolves not only in appearance but also in a non-linear fashion. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 291935 | Rendy Jones | Rendy Reviews | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-10-22T16:36:35.000Z | 2026-10-22 16:36:35 | James Watkins’ underwhelming, misguided take makes what could’ve been a fun revenge body-horror crime flick lose shape. |
| 291920 | Keith Phipps | The Reveal | Rotten | — | 26 min ago | 2026-10-22 14:25:00 | 2.5 / 5 [T]he novelty of taking place in a comic book-inspired universe doesn’t mean a horror movie shouldn’t have to succeed on its own terms. |
| 291917 | Laura Clifford | Reeling Reviews | Fresh | B | 9 min ago | 2026-10-22 14:13:00 | a gory, Lovecraftian blast crossed with "Mission Impossible's" masks, a true monster movie wisely being released right before Halloween. |
| 291918 | Mark Dujsik | Mark Reviews Movies | Rotten | 2.5/4 | 21 min ago | 2026-10-22 14:01:00 | In its rush to make the character into one who's more easily categorized as a supervillain ... the movie becomes just as generic. |
| 291919 | Patrick McDonald | WBGR-FM (93.7 FM - Monroe, WI) | Fresh | 4/5 | 48 min ago | 2026-10-22 13:34:00 | Goes deeper than the surface like THE JOKER, and has an appealing (pun) lead in Tom Rhys Harries as the title character. Themes of duality, beauty, presentation, truth are slightly undermined by gross violence. Horror & Comic Book! |
| 291890 | Chris Bumbray | JoBlo's Movie Network | Fresh | — | 39 min ago | 2026-10-22 12:37:00 | DC meets Darkman - and it works |
| 291891 | Jack Martin | Film Feeder | Fresh | 3/5 | 2 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 11:16:00 | They have indeed made a good movie… but only good. Not great, for it’s still got some issues that are a little tricky to overlook, but nonetheless still good. |
| 291892 | Kelechi Ehenulo | Movie Marker | Fresh | 4/5 | 3 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 10:16:00 | There’s nothing better than watching a film have fun, and Clayface serves up the right ingredients of shocks and awe. |
| 291893 | Ian Sandwell | Digital Spy | Fresh | 3/5 | 5 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 08:16:00 | You'll be left squirming from the body horror and the gore, impressed by Tom Rhys Harries in the lead and a genuine villain story, while being a bit underwhelmed with everything else. |
| 291895 | Simon Foster | Screen-Space (Substack) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 6 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 07:16:00 | [It’s] the horror of ceding control of your physical form and how a crumbling facade can expose your truest emotions that provide CLAYFACE with a sentiment that gets under your skin. |
| 291894 | Dominic Griffin | Looper.com | Fresh | 6/10 | 6 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 07:16:00 | When "Clayface" is making a tragic anti-hero whose inability to let go of his past dooms his chance at a happier future, it works. It's fun enough and doesn't overstay its welcome. |
| 291896 | James Mottram | South China Morning Post | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 8 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 05:16:00 | A grisly but delicious tale of Hollywood excess, this DC thriller is part crime, part horror and certainly not one for the squeamish. |
| 291897 | Jim Schembri | jimschembri.com | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 10 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 03:16:00 | Easily clocks in as one of the most diverting and dramatically engaging superhero films yet. Actually, to be accurate, Clayface is more of an anti-superhero – or super-antihero – movie…a very well-directed horror-thriller. |
| 291899 | Cassie Hager | Pop Culture Leftovers | Fresh | — | 11 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 02:16:00 | Taking cues from films such as The Substance and even a little bit of Vanilla Sky, Clayface settles into the body horror genre comfortably by the end of its runtime and cements itself as an imperfect yet exciting addition to the DC universe. |
| 291898 | Avi Offer | NYC Movie Guru | Fresh | — | 11 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 02:16:00 | A gory, grotesque and wickedly funny slice of body horror that also serves as a suspenseful revenge thriller. |
| 291900 | Peter Sobczynski | Auteurist Class (Substack) | Rotten | — | 12 hrs ago | 2026-10-22 01:16:00 | the film clearly wants to be the next Joker, but it is so aimless, tedious and ineffective that it almost—“almost,”—makes Joker: Folie a Deux seem borderline tolerable by comparison. |
| 291901 | Carla Hay | Culture Mix | Fresh | — | 14 hrs ago | 2026-10-21 23:16:00 | Clayface is an intriguing but not outstanding effort for a DC Comics-based movie to be adult-oriented horror instead of the usual 'superheroes vs. villains' story. The performances from Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie elevate a formulaic screenplay. |
| 291883 | Casey Chong | Fortress of Solitude | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 15 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:46:00 | Clayface is far from a perfect mold, but James Watkins and co-writer Mike Flanagan deserve praise for establishing Matt Hagen’s deeply tragic origin story, thanks to Tom Rhys Harries’s scene-stealing performance. |
| 291885 | Meagan Navarro | Bloody Disgusting | Fresh | 3/5 | 20 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:41:00 | DC Studios isn’t skittishly toe-dipping into its first-ever foray into the genre with Clayface; it’s a full-on body horror movie filled with squirm-inducing moments. At least for the first half. |
| 291884 | Brian VanHooker | Polygon | Rotten | — | 20 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:41:00 | To the movie’s credit, there is some good, cringey, gross, hard-to-watch body horror stuff in there, but it never feels like a horror movie. There’s nothing that actually makes you feel scared. It’s just a superhero movie without a superhero |
| 291886 | Jen Lennon | io9.com | Fresh | — | 21 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:40:00 | Matt’s transformation is believable and gross, and that’s all it needs. Maybe solid is the wrong word, but Clayface is, at least, something new, even if it is molded from well-worn clay. |
| 291887 | Alan Ng | Film Threat | Fresh | 8/10 | 24 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:37:00 | It’s by no means Shakespeare, but it’s a solid high-budget B-movie, and Watkins knows it. |
| 291888 | Richard Crouse | Richard Crouse | Fresh | 4/5 | 29 min ago | 2026-10-21 21:32:00 | An origin story that doesn’t spare the violence and gore, Clayface is a bloody good time that breathes the same fetid air as body horror flicks like The Fly and The Substance. |
| 291869 | Gabrielle Moss | Collider | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-10-21T21:14:59.000Z | 2026-10-21 21:14:59 | Clayface is a refreshing break for those suffering from superhero fatigue — while it may not be perfect, it's absolutely something you haven't seen in a DC film before. |
| 291870 | Rosie Knight | Den of Geek | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T20:54:29.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:54:29 | As a horror fan who adores comics, it is quite honestly magnificent to see what Watkins has created here. |
| 291871 | Don Kaye | Moviefone | Fresh | 67/100 | 2026-10-21T20:21:38.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:21:38 | It works well enough as a horror programmer and there are lots of crowd-pleasing moments of gore and violence. But it leaves no lasting impression. |
| 291872 | Nikki Gemmell | The Australian | Rotten | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T20:11:20.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:11:20 | What this James Watkins movie doesn’t have is tone or personality. A distinct directorial stamp. Yes, big jump scares, but middling special effects and indifferent world building; this could be any city. This is not a seamless trio of DC Universe films. |
| 291873 | Zaki Hasan | San Francisco Chronicle | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T20:10:06.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:10:06 | “Clayface” is practiced pastiche, drawing on a tradition of sympathetic monstrosity stretching back to Mary Shelley. But as proof of concept for a DC Universe that can accommodate stories beyond the usual superhero spectacle, it largely works. |
| 291874 | Tim Grierson | Screen International | Rotten | — | 2026-10-21T20:09:19.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:09:19 | The picture’s combination of monster movie and love story ultimately suffers from a critical weakness: neither the presentation nor the tragic antihero is novel enough to sustain a full-length feature. |
| 291875 | Mark Kennedy | Associated Press | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-10-21T20:07:37.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:07:37 | We may not have asked for it, but it’s a crowd-pleaser, mimicking its title character’s ability to be a little something for everyone. |
| 291876 | Sophie Butcher | Empire Magazine | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T20:05:58.000Z | 2026-10-21 20:05:58 | Remove its fleshy, liquescent mask, and you’ll not find a lot of memorable meat underneath, but at least Clayface’s brutal exterior offers savage delights. |
| 291877 | Alexander Zalben | Comic Book Club | Rotten | — | 2026-10-21T19:56:03.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:56:03 | A flabby, stuck-in-the-mud production that features an entrancing central performance and some gross out body horror moments, but little else to recommend. |
| 291826 | Fred Topel | United Press International | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:46:04.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:46:04 | Matt’s story is tragic as any honest revenge tale is. He is literally driven mad and becomes a monster, so the life he had before remains unattainable. He'll have to settle for a role in The Batman 3. |
| 291827 | Jonathan Santos | Primera Hora | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:46:02.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:46:02 | Given the nature of its story and what the protagonist goes through, this film could have explored an intriguing narrative about identity but instead settles for developing a superficial plot of revenge and obsession. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 291828 | Philip Jean-Pierre | Geek Girl Riot / RIOTUS | Fresh | A | 2026-10-21T19:41:12.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:41:12 | Clayface is the best kind of comic book movie. It barely feels like one… This isn’t a comic-book story about a Gotham villain. It’s a story about what drives a person to become a "villain" |
| 291829 | Travis Hopson | Punch Drunk Critics | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:39:36.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:39:36 | The best film of Gunn’s regime yet, a grotesque and thrilling body horror built by the best horror filmmaker in the business right now; Mike Flanagan. |
| 291830 | Nagier Chambers | Big Gold Belt Media | Fresh | 5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:36:34.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:36:34 | Tom Rhys Harries delivers a breakout performance that transforms Clayface from a terrifying comic book villain into one of DC's most emotionally devastating characters and didn’t need Batman to do it! |
| 291831 | Aaron Neuwirth | We Live Entertainment | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-10-21T19:36:32.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:36:32 | With Clayface serving as the first cinematic example of what this iteration of the DC Universe can deliver as far as villain origin stories go, I’m pleased with the results on display. |
| 291832 | Courtney Small | Exclaim! | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-10-21T19:33:28.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:33:28 | A genuinely surprising and entertaining work, the film is a reminder of what comic book adaptations can achieve when not burdened with the weight of establishing or prolonging a franchise. |
| 291833 | Zach Pope | Zach Pope Reviews | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:33:27.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:33:27 | Entertaining but frustrating tragedy that left me craving SO MUCH MORE! A brutal blend of grotesque body horror and a heartbreaking character study, with BRILLIANT performances from Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie. |
| 291834 | Jim Vejvoda | IGN | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-10-21T19:32:43.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:32:43 | Clayface is at its best when it embraces its B-movie absurdity. It’s a fun body horror romp that realizes its nasty potential in its final act after a slow-burn set-up. |
| 291835 | Brian Tallerico | RogerEbert.com | Rotten | 1.5/4 | 2026-10-21T19:26:14.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:26:14 | A movie shouldn’t spoon feed you its themes, but it also needs to put more than misshapen mush on your plate. |
| 291836 | Karina Adelgaard | Heaven of Horror | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:26:11.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:26:11 | Clayface is definitely a DC movie you'll want to watch in theaters. Not only because it's a truly solid origin story of a fascinating and complex villain, but also because it looks amazing. |
| 291837 | Spencer Perry | ComicBook.com | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:25:49.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:25:49 | Clayface could have been worse, but what’s frustrating is the knowledge that the movie could have been better, too. |
| 291838 | Chris La Vigna | CBR | Rotten | 6/10 | 2026-10-21T19:24:39.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:24:39 | A bold swing, and perhaps it will be viewed more favorably with time. But right now, much like its lead character, the film feels a bit empty inside. |
| 291839 | Cris Parker | 3C Films (YouTube) | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-10-21T19:23:53.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:23:53 | A villain solo film done right. The story might be simple but its gnarly body horror and engaging pace will make for a great time at the movies. |
| 291840 | James Croot | The Post NZ | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:23:00.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:23:00 | Undeniably squirm-inducing and gooey, Clayface is not for the faint of heart or needle-averse, but it arguably finally gives Obsession a real rival as the year’s best cinematic horror. |
| 291841 | John Kirk | Original Cin | Fresh | A- | 2026-10-21T19:22:19.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:22:19 | The departure from the original character lies in the positioning of the story as horror rather than a four-colour comic one. Whatever you call it, Tom Rhys Harries is a wonderful anti-hero. |
| 291842 | Amelia Emberwing | Pickety Witch | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:19:33.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:19:33 | Clayface's greatest strength is its intentionality. General audiences might really balk at that — especially the body horror aspects. Still, the film's complete lack of identity crisis is going to go a very long way with fans. |
| 291843 | Julian Roman | BlackFilmandTV.com | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:17:54.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:17:54 | The DCU gets the best entry of its "Gods and Monsters" first chapter with the body horror thriller Clayface. A captivating lead performance by Tom Rhys Harries establishes genuine empathy before the film takes a gruesome turn. |
| 291844 | Michael Walsh | Nerdist | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:17:39.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:17:39 | Clayface goes from an average (at best) film to an absolute blast once Tom Rhys Harries’ Matt Hagens starts using his powers to get his crowd-pleasing vengeance. |
| 291797 | Mike Massie | Gone With The Twins | Rotten | 5/10 | 2026-10-21T19:15:21.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:15:21 | At least it does a better job of exacting punishment than most of the Punisher films. |
| 291798 | Rodrigo Perez | The Playlist | Rotten | C- | 2026-10-21T19:15:12.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:15:12 | Unfortunately, these meaty ideas often get applied like superficial makeup, never quite getting beneath the skin of the characters in convincing or meaningful ways. |
| 291799 | Brian Truitt | USA Today | Rotten | 2/4 | 2026-10-21T19:13:39.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:13:39 | Director James Watkins’ unnerving, frustrating thriller can only do so much melting Tom Rhys Harries’ sharp features amid a bunch of creepy scenes and a severe lack of character development. |
| 291800 | Jonathan Sim | ComingSoon.net | Fresh | 9/10 | 2026-10-21T19:12:33.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:12:33 | This is exactly the kind of ambitious, mid-budget superhero filmmaking the genre could use more of, and one of DC’s best movies to date. |
| 291801 | Molly Freeman | MovieWeb | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:11:33.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:11:33 | Clayface offers more gross body horror than compelling character study, and has few redeeming moments. |
| 291802 | Bradley Russell | GamesRadar+ | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:11:07.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:11:07 | As a horror movie, its skin-deep thrills and spills mask an uneven tragedy that even the emerging star power of Tom Rhys Harries can't overcome completely. |
| 291803 | Clarisse Loughrey | Independent (UK) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:10:14.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:10:14 | Rhys Harries does much of the heavy lifting here; the actor, in his first major lead role, works each scene with such wounded intensity that you could layer on a dozen more prosthetics and the performance would still leap out. |
| 291804 | Caroline Siede | Decoding Everything | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:09:52.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:09:52 | Clayface is full of memorable images without ever quite becoming a memorable movie. |
| 291805 | Matt Donato | Daily Dead | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:09:42.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:09:42 | It might never be as low-down as Watkins’ prior works, or as heartrendingly rich as Flanagan’s opuses, but Clayface benefits from both approaches. |
| 291806 | Robbie Collin | Daily Telegraph (UK) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:09:29.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:09:29 | It cannot be overstated how much fun it is to soak up a film like this on what feels like its creators’ largely unhindered terms. |
| 291807 | Doug Jamieson | The Jam Report | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:09:19.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:09:19 | An intriguing experiment that never quite becomes the daring horror film its premise promises |
| 291808 | David Fear | Rolling Stone | Rotten | — | 2026-10-21T19:08:45.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:08:45 | The equivalent of eating a handful of Play-Doh™, and twice as flavorless. |
| 291809 | Barry Hertz | Globe and Mail | Rotten | — | 2026-10-21T19:08:01.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:08:01 | For a movie about a pile of sentient goo that can will itself to look like anyone or anything, there is a disheartening lack of self-awareness, or self-respect, when it comes to Clayface’s blatant cinematic cribbing. |
| 291810 | Mike Ryan | The Hard Pass (Ghost.io) | Fresh | C+ | 2026-10-21T19:07:53.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:53 | 'Clayface' will leave you with that was okay-face |
| 291811 | Tori Brazier | Metro | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:07:43.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:43 | Clayface has enough acting chops and hacking-off-of-chops to satisfy fans looking for a good, grisly time – even if there’s a nagging feeling it could have been a bit more significant. |
| 291812 | Graeme Guttmann | Screen Rant | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:07:35.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:35 | The latest picture from DC Studios tells the story of Matt Hagen’s descent into shape-shifting mayhem, but it eschews the belabored feeling of most origin stories for a B-movie vibe that is more delightfully disgusting romp and less rote retelling. |
| 291813 | Cary Darling | Houston Chronicle | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:07:20.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:20 | Watkins has created a more personal story that becomes surprisingly moving as Hagen wrestles with his newfound power, the compulsion for revenge and the desire to not be alone. |
| 291814 | Chalice Williams | Black Girl Nerds | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:07:12.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:12 | Clayface is undoubtedly one of the best horror films of the year and should not be written off as simply another comic book adaptation. It may live in that realm, but it is achingly so much more than meets the eye. |
| 291815 | Johnny Oleksinski | New York Post | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-10-21T19:07:09.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:07:09 | Specifically this is body horror, similar to “The Substance” with Demi Moore or an organs-galore David Cronenberg film. It’s gross. In a fun way! |
| 291816 | Swara Salih | But Why Tho? | Fresh | 9.5/10 | 2026-10-21T19:06:20.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:06:20 | Clayface is an unadulterated cinematic win for DC Studios, and I can’t wait to see more from them if this is the creative energy they put into their future films. |
| 291878 | Matt Konopka | Dread Central | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:06:13.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:06:13 | DC Studios first genre outing under James Gunn’s leadership delivers a muddy mixed bag of melty body horror and tonal inconsistencies. |
| 291845 | Benjamin Lee | Guardian | Rotten | 2/5 | 2026-10-21T19:05:59.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:05:59 | Even as a similarly new way in, as a relatively standalone horror movie for those who wouldn’t now rush toward a superhero caper, it’s a clumsily missed opportunity. |
| 291846 | Ed Potton | The Times (UK) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:05:05.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:05:05 | The British leads are impressive, Harries channelling Demi Moore in The Substance, Ackie the biotech renegade Elizabeth Holmes, and there is a knowing cameo from Rob Brydon as a smarmy talk show host. |
| 291847 | Courtney Howard | Fresh Fiction | Fresh | C | 2026-10-21T19:05:00.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:05:00 | As compelling as it is confounding and as fun as it is frustrating, it’s amongst the year’s most perplexing pictures. |
| 291848 | Guy Lodge | Variety | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:04:30.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:04:30 | Perhaps the characters and conflicts introduced here would pall if given the franchise treatment, but in the context of a single, genre-melding romp, they’re fresh and ickily enjoyable. |
| 291849 | Peter Gray | The AU Review | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:04:22.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:04:22 | A gruesome, uncompromising and unexpectedly affecting descent into villainy, Clayface finds DC Studios embracing its darker instincts with considerable confidence. |
| 291850 | Glenn Garner | Deadline Hollywood Daily | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:02:58.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:02:58 | Whether you’re a comic book nerd or a horror junkie, Clayface is worth the price of admission for its genre-driven approach to a lesser known character, hopefully serving as a roadmap for the DCU’s onscreen future. |
| 291851 | Matt Singer | ScreenCrush | Fresh | 6/10 | 2026-10-21T19:02:57.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:02:57 | An amusingly icky horror film that gets under your skin. |
| 291852 | Jake Cole | Slant Magazine | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:02:56.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:02:56 | James Watkins makes a virtue of the film’s low-budget, visibly artificial CGI backdrops, emphasizing Gotham’s unreal nature. |
| 291853 | Frank Scheck | The Hollywood Reporter | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:02:28.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:02:28 | Clayface emerges as one of the year’s big surprises. More a horror film than a comic book movie -- body horror, to be precise -- it’s also perfectly timed to cash in on the current mania of audiences looking for a scary good time. |
| 291854 | Elliott Collins | Movie Files | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-10-21T19:02:13.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:02:13 | CLAYFACE had all the ingredients to be something special. There are flashes of great body horror, but generic storytelling, clunky dialogue, and an underdeveloped tragedy hold it back. Not a failure, but a frustrating missed opportunity. |
| 291855 | Kate Erbland | IndieWire | Rotten | C+ | 2026-10-21T19:01:44.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:44 | The uneven nature of the film, its plotting, its character motivations, and its aims only become bigger and bloodier as the film winds on. Malleable, sure, but this ambitious misfire can never conform to one shape, one final form, or one good idea. |
| 291856 | Ryan Guar | Discussing Film | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:01:43.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:43 | Clayface works as a self-contained, campy B movie, one that focuses on delivering gruesome body horror instead of forced connections to the DC franchise at large. |
| 291857 | Hoai-Tran Bui | Inverse | Rotten | — | 2026-10-21T19:01:21.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:21 | Its glimmers of potential only give us peeks at the better movies it could’ve been, while an underbaked script and laughably clunky dialogue only seal the deal: this was a failed experiment that should’ve never left the lab. |
| 291858 | Edward Douglas | The Weekend Warrior (Substack) | Fresh | 7.5/10 | 2026-10-21T19:01:19.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:19 | Clayface is reminiscent of David Cronenberg’s The Fly and Sam Raimi’s Darkman, two of my absolute favorite movies from that era. (Video review) |
| 291859 | Chris Evangelista | Slashfilm | Fresh | 5.5/10 | 2026-10-21T19:01:15.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:15 | "Clayface" is a surprisingly gory little freak show that ultimately feels shapeless. |
| 291860 | William Bibbiani | TheWrap | Fresh | — | 2026-10-21T19:01:08.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:01:08 | A decent monster movie, with all the straightforward entertainment value that comes with telling a story about a wet pile of gelatinous flesh that kills people. |
| 291861 | Linda Marric | HeyUGuys | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-10-21T19:00:56.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:00:56 | Clayface is a gamble that pays off, and a reminder that the best comic-book adaptations are often those that remember their original pulpy credentials. |
| 291862 | Britany Murphy | Muses of Media | Fresh | 3.75/5 | 2026-10-21T19:00:39.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:00:39 | With pitch-perfect performances from Harries and Ackie, impressive practical and visual effects, a stunning score, and a great blend of horror and humanity, Clayface is a film worth watching (even if some scenes may make you nauseated). |
| 291863 | Fico Cangiano | CineXpress | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-10-21T19:00:32.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:00:32 | Solid and entertaining introduction to a lesser-known DC villain. Tom Rhys Harries is a great find, and does a great job of molding the tragedy and possibilities within the character. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 291864 | Joey Magidson | Awards Radar | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-10-21T19:00:31.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:00:31 | Clayface has gore galore and a hard R take on the underrated batman villain. Ultimately, it's just fine, but the good does outweigh the bad. |
| 291865 | Giovanni Lago | Next Best Picture | Rotten | 5/10 | 2026-10-21T19:00:30.000Z | 2026-10-21 19:00:30 | Still, its body-horror sheen is just a cheap coating on another anti-hero narrative that devolves into the typical comic book film we’ve seen countless times before. |
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