DC Studios' Clayface releases on Friday, October 23, and the Kalshi Rotten Tomatoes market is now forecasting a final score of 76.2%, slightly below the current Rotten Tomatoes score of 77%, which went live when the review embargo lifted on October 21.
The market's score prediction briefly took a 13-point tumble after a ComicBookMovie.com review was published ahead of the embargo being lifted, but has rightsized as more critic reviews have gone live.
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The early review
The ComicBookMovie.com review caused quite a bit of stir online, not just because it was critical of the movie, but because of its timing.
Author Josh Wilding confirmed he paid money to see the film via a “Scream Unseen” early fan viewing at his local theater (a.k.a. he did not attend an embargoed press screening coordinated by Warner Brothers Studio), making it fair game for him to post the review prior to the embargo lifting on October 21. His review went up on October 19.
Wilding’s review was then suppressed by Rotten Tomatoes for breaking the embargo, and was not added on to the site until the embargo lifted at 12pm PST on October 21.
His review was critical of the DC film, comparing it to Marvel’s Morbius and calling it “uninspired.” His 2.5 stars out of 5 review concluded, “Clayface ultimately brings nothing new to the table, and with a limited budget, even the pivotal shapeshifting scenes are lacking.”
Other critical reviews
Following Wilding’s early pan, other critics have weighed in with mixed thoughts of their own.
Variety critic Guy Lodge called the DC film “considerably more interesting all round” compared to its sister projects at DC Studios, Superman and Supergirl, and praised the film’s body horror and gory elements.
Deadline’s Glenn Garner echoed Lodge’s sentiments, emphasizing the film’s cast and its appeal to horror fans. “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… but maybe brace yourself if you’re squeamish,” Garner wrote.
But IndieWire’s Kate Erbland was less enthused by the project. “The uneven nature of the film, its plotting, its character motivations, and its aims only become bigger and bloodier as the film winds on,” she wrote. “Malleable, sure, but this ambitious misfire can never conform to one shape, one final form, or one good idea.”
Similarly, Benjamin Lee at The Guardian described Clayface as “poorly lit and junkily made as the very blandest of streaming movies,” likening its filmmaking to that of network TV rather than a multimillion dollar movie.
Brian Tallerico at RogerEbert.com also criticized the storytelling. “The mushy problem at the core of James Watkins’ origin story for one of Gotham’s most memorable villains is a complete lack of consistency regarding its themes or even how viewers are supposed to feel about its protagonist,” he said. “You can’t just give viewers the ooey-gooey stuff; you have to put something behind it, or it’s just slop.”
One thing that has everyone in consensus: Clayface is unapologetic about its gore.
What fans are saying
Fans on the cinephile review and cataloging site Letterboxd are similarly mixed, with the film currently holding a 3.7 out of 5.
Reviewer chelsearonnie gave the film a 4.5/5 and said, “To be completely honest, I’m in love with the movie, Clayface. I’m still kinda blown away by how good this movie was. It was everything I wanted it to be and somehow it exceeded every expectation I had.”
On the other end of the spectrum, a user called Clayface a “lesser version of The Substance or The Fly.”
The takeaway:
Kalshi markets now predict
Clayface’s Rotten Tomatoes score: 76.2%
Follow Radhika Menon on Instagram: @menonrad
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