A gross, goopy and fun horror film for the Halloween season.

“Clayface” is unlike anything DC has ever produced. The studio followed its family-friendly “Superman” and “Supergirl” with a bloody, body horror film that explores some interesting themes and ideas while showcasing some incredible effects — one of which will ensure that many viewers do not ever rub their eyes the same way again. “Clayface” is a welcome addition to any Halloween horror movie list and is sure to leave viewers with something to think about.

The film follows a rising actor named Matt Hagen, whose face is mutilated by a gang in the streets of Gotham, leaving him completely unrecognizable. After countless surgeries, he attempts an experimental treatment that could fix his face, but may also have certain unpredictable side effects. You can probably guess from the film’s title where this is going. “Clayface” is one of the better villain origin movies I have seen, and it has an interesting spin halfway through that elevates it above a typical body horror film.

Despite its focus on body horror, the best aspects of “Clayface” are psychological. The second half of the film sees Hagen learning how to use his powers to shapeshift into anyone he sees, creating a layer of paranoia that permeates the rest of the runtime. Once Matt learns how to shapeshift, the viewer can never be sure that the people on screen are who they appear to be. This is easily the best part of the movie, and it is masterfully handled, especially during the amazing final act.

Although “Clayface” has a unique and well-executed plot and premise, it does fall apart in a few key areas. There are two main problems with this movie, the most egregious being its dialogue. The characters’ lines feel flat and unnatural, especially when it comes to the police officer character in the film, who also ends up doing some of the worst detective work I have ever seen on or off the screen. The second issue with the film is that its visuals are bland and uninspiring. I saw this movie in Dolby Cinema — which is built to make films’ visuals pop — but in some scenes, the cinematography was akin to a television commercial. Pacing is another issue for parts of the film, and viewers are often left wondering when the action will finally ramp up.

Fortunately, most of these problems subside after the first half of the movie as the film finally hits its stride and embraces its psychological premise. The second half of “Clayface” is great enough to make up for the shortcomings of the first, turning this film from a mostly generic horror flick into one of DC’s most thought-provoking entries.

“Clayface” is an effective Halloween horror film. While its drawbacks prevent it from becoming an all-time classic, it is certainly compelling enough to merit buying a ticket. The future of the new DC Universe looks promising, and Clayface is sure to make his return sooner or later — whether in human form or not.

★★★⯪☆

“Clayface” receives 3.5/5 stars from this reviewer.