Clayface - The scoop and digest

From a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, James Watkins makes history for directing the first 18 rated DC film.

Oh, two-part story Feat of Clay (1992) from Batman: The Animated Series also told the origin of Clayface.

Tom Rhys Harries - Matt Hagen/Clayface

Naomi Ackie - Dr. Caitlyn Corr

David Dencik - Markos Szabo

Eddie Marsan - Frank Fitzpatrick

Max Minghella - John Borrelli

Nancy Carroll - Hildie Love

Joshua James - Corey Bowery

Joana Ribeiro - Mia Torrez

Will Coban - Bones

Rob Brydon - Vic Chissler

Summary

Hollywood star Matt Hagen is nominated for an Academy Award and appears on The Vic Chissler Show.

Matt goes to a nightclub with his friend Corey Bowery, where he gets friendly with actress Mia Torrez, but warned by Corey to stay clear, as she's the girlfriend of crime lord Markos Szabo.

Does he listen? Of course not.

The following morning, a furious Szabo finds them in bed together and takes a knife to Matt's face.

Matt reports Szabo to the police, but geezer is acquitted in court due to 'lack of evidence'.

To cheer him up even more, Mia is interviewed on TV and claims he drugged her.

What a horrible lying bitch.

After been subjected to Dr. Caitlyn Coor's regenerative medicine, whose nanocells perfectly repair damaged skin tissue, Matt's face is fully restored.

When Matt's face begins to sag at a red carpet event, he panics and injects himself with a dangerous amount of nanites, apparently solving the problem.

Matt discovers he can instantly recover from any injury, impersonate whoever and turn his body into a deadly weapon.

Don't worry, he's not trying to be the T-1000.

While all this sounds great, Matt's unquenchable thirst for vengeance comes at a price.

Hell's coming with me

First off, is certificate justified? No, 15 at most.

Sure there's some gooey body horror, but apart from Matt allowing his blood to dissolve Szabo's face, this isn't exactly a goregasm.

Just like Robert De Niro's Murray Franklin in Joker (2019), Vic Chissler is an original character created specifically for film.

And yeah, both host a popular talk show.  But the primary difference is that Uncle Bryn isn't killed by his guest.

Raging Bull (1980)

Like Jake LaMotta, Matt's life spirals out of control.

But it's Szabo (referring to Matt), who takes admiration too far.

"He's pretty. I've got a problem. If I should fuck him or fight him."

LaMotta: "He's a nice, a nice kid (middleweight contender Tony Janiro). He's a pretty kid, too. I mean I don't know, I gotta problem if I should fuck him or fight him."

After cutting Matt's face to pieces, Szabo remarks:

"He ain't pretty no more."

This is exactly what Tommy Como (based on mob boss Frankie Carbo), calmly says after LaMotta destroys Janiro's face in June 1947.