This November, prepare to be ghosted. Johnny Depp is the deliciously unpleasant Ebenezer Scrooge in a thrilling reimagining of the most iconic ghost story of all time. On one unforgettable Christmas Eve, Ebenezer collides with his past, present, and future on a supernatural journey that will decide his ultimate fate. If you think you know his story, think again. Directed by Ti West and with a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern, Ebenezer also stars Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, with Tramell Tillman and Ian McKellen.
If you like a whole lotta cultural relevance and speculative fiction with your murder mysteries, the British series “Curfew” might just be what the sociologist ordered. It’s set in a contemporary alternate England. Violence against women has become so intolerable that they enacted a three-year program with two Draconian aspects. The lesser is that couples aren’t allowed to marry until they’ve undergone extensive tests and interviews for compatibility and temperament to minimize the odds of domestic abuse.
The main subject is a strict curfew on all men from 7 pm to 7 am, enforced by mandatory ankle monitors like those for convicted felons on house arrest. Every guy 10 or older must wear one. As the story begins, the trial period for that law is nearing its end, with an imminent vote on whether to make it permanent. Naturally, controversy rages. Extreme measures engender extreme reactions.
The program has succeeded in greatly reducing violent crimes against women. But the forcibly sequestered males protest vigorously at the one-sided deprivation of freedom. Rabble rousers urge opposition in strong terms, akin to our actual conspiracy theorists and finger pointers. Helen (Alexandra Burke), a high school teacher, is brutally murdered one night. Pam (Sarah Parish), the grizzled detective in charge of the case, is certain that only a man could have beaten her that badly, even though their system showed no males out that night to have done it. This might be the first time anyone foiled the tech; or Pam may be wrong about the gender of the perp. Her new partner, Eddie (Mitchell Robertson), is timid, but far from inept. Pam suffered a tragedy just before the curfew law went into effect that may be screwing with her objectivity.
As the six hourlong episodes unfold, the sleuthing and politicking are intercut with flashbacks – mainly focused on Helen’s life. We find a bevy of suspects and motives from her career, surprisingly lurid sideline and personal life that adroitly remain undetermined until the finale. For those who read the source novel AFTER DARK by Jayne Cowie, the three credited writers varied quite a bit from the book in both format and substance, so you won’t find this adaptation predictable.
The biggest problem with the series is how much disbelief one must suspend. They pay little, if any, heed to the massive economic upheaval this curfew legislation would cause. All the men who worked evenings and nights outside their homes can’t continue. Are there enough women to fill those jobs? Are there enough openings created by the shifted hours and types of work for those women to provide work for all those displaced guys? Could it really be practical – or even affordable – to monitor and enforce the entire male population for curfew violations? The effective pace and solid performances minimize the time for thinking about that stuff; but the dubious logistics and logic kept lurking around as distractions.
On the plus side, this series draws attention to real-world concerns across the globe without making a strident, one-sided polemic. Character flaws, hidden agendas and questionable tactics are as rife among the women as the men – if not moreso. “Curfew” offers food for thought in a solid mystery, so long as you keep those thoughts where the writers hoped.
2 Out Of 4 Stars
British crime drama CURFEW premieres November 3, 2026 in the U.S. and Canada on MHz Choice.
From acclaimed director Francis Lawrence, THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING follows sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) from District 12, beginning on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Annual Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, the biggest Games yet with twice as many tributes.
Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING also stars Jesse Plemons, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Produced by Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson and Francis Lawrence. Screenplay by Billy Ray and Michael Lesslie.
Set in the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, the story follows Haymitch into the arena, where he forms an unlikely alliance with fellow tribute Maysilee Donner (Mckenna Grace) and joins a coalition determined to challenge the Capitol’s control under President Snow (Ralph Fiennes). As the competition unfolds, Haymitch risks everything to take down the Games from within the arena — setting in motion the rebellion that will change Panem forever.
THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING opens in theaters & IMAX November 20, 2026.
The screening is at 7PM on Monday, November 16th at AMC Streets of St. Charles (Doors at 6pm)
All through this latest action-thriller, a classic line of movie dialogue bounced around my brain. From GODFATHER III, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (say it with me): “Just when I thought I was out, they pull (gotta’ do the hands) me back in!”. With this flick, the line relates to its star, Liam Neeson. Appearing in last year’s “reboot/re-imagining” THE NAKED GUN, he seemed to be bidding adieu to his string of action- “certain skills” roles that began mainly with TAKEN. And he “was-a” churnin’ ’em out to the point that he looked a bit uninterested or at least distracted. So, Frank Drebin, Jr. was his version of “going out” with a self-mocking chuckle. Not so fast. Well, this time it’s “go very fast. ” He’s back in full “action-hero” mode, though mainly behind the wheel as the man known as THE MONGOOSE.
We meet ex-Special Forces Green Beret Ryan Flanagan (Neeson) near the start of a pretty trying day. He’s “burning rubber” in a slick red Ford Mustang Shelby Super Snake (syncs up with the title) GT350, trying to evade countless Arkansas Highway Patrol cars. The helicopters above him trigger a flashback to his combat days in Afghanistan twenty years ago. He’s part of a quartet of brothers in a chopper soaring through the mountains as they look for the enemy. Well, the s#t “goes down,” as does their ride when it’s struck by an RPG. Soon, the battered men are captured and taken to the enemy camp. Ryan (who likes to be called “Fang”) is then jolted back to his current problems. Those flashbacks helped to end his marriage to Tara (Marisa Tomei), who’s now dating a guy named Todd in Kentucky. Up until a couple of days ago. She called Fang from a hospital after being roughed up by him. Tara begs him not to retaliate. Instead, she asks him to sneak into Todd’s mansion (he’s at work) and grab her stuff. Fang agrees, but as he’s trying to coax the pet cat, you-know-who shows up. Things get ugly, a weapon is drawn, and now Fang is wanted for a homicide and for taking Todd’s “sweet ride”. When the chase crosses into Texas, Fang becomes the “number one priority” to hard-case lawman Major Walter Pope (Michael Chiklis). As he bears down, the media contacts Fang on his car’s phone. Soon he’s a rebel hero with fans helping him out. While still dealing with PTSD as he plots a course to the border. Even with the help of new and old friends, can he elude the Major and enjoy some “authentic” margaritas?
It does appear that Neeson is more engaged here, perhaps because he’s not involved in lots of gunplay or “hand-to-hand” scuffles (other than what gets him on the run). I’ve read that he’s somewhat of a “gearhead”, so that may explain it. We do get to see him out of the driver’s seat in the wartime flashbacks, which allow some flexing of his dramatic skills, in addition to the end of his marriage. Neeson also tries to sneak in some humor, but these clunky exchanges are tough to overcome. The forever “May Parker”, Ms. Tomei is criminally underused here since Tara is either an irritant or a victim or a “cheerleader” (a very sympathetic ex). Her role is fairly undefined and is reduced to staring at a TV screen or shouting into a phone for most of the third act. We do get some unbridled scenery-chewing from the ever-sneering Chiklis as Pope, a really humorless and sadistic spin on Buford T. Justice, flaring his nostrils and barking commands at his underlings. He’s trying to “sell” these static sequences, but they come off as cartoony villain “set-ups”. As his most prominent “soldier bro”, Ving Rhames has the proper warmth and gravitas, but he’s often set up as the explainer or faithful sidekick.
So, this is the feature film directing debut for stunt coordinator Mark Vanselow, who does make the most of the many action set pieces. Still, the end result often feels like a FAST AND THE FURIOUS lower-budgeted riff, while also harkening back to those 70s drive-in car classics like DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY, VANISHING POINT, and the “OG” GONE IN 60 SECONDS. Perhaps it may have worked better as a straight homage to those, but the script also takes on a war subplot that mixes recent films like SOLE SURVIVOR with a twist of THE DEER HUNTER (which tells us how Fang is also the Mongoose). Plus, there’s Fang’s “fanbase” echoing THE LEGEND OF BILLIE JEAN and THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS. And there’s a running commentary from a real-life TV reporter that feels forced, as it appears that CNN just turns things over to “Fang on the run”. Australia proves to be a pretty good “stand-in” for the southern US, despite an off-kilter gas station. Plus it’s refreshing to see an action-adventure that’s more “grounded” rather than the increasingly overblown, gravity-ignoring F&F series (another one is coming…ugh). Basically, this is a turbo-charged “B” flick with much better actors than the script deserves. So, if you really have the “need for speed”, and some “Liam Neesons” then the churning wheels and spinouts, then THE MONGOOSE may be your kind of “I can’t drive 55” animal.
LA BOLA NEGRA follows three generations of men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and love. From Cannes-winning directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the film stars Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Julio Torres, Penélope Cruz, and Glenn Close.
I must begin by advising that I almost passed up the offer to screen GHOST IN THE CELL – an Indonesian movie about prison violence, even with some supernatural elements and grim humor as part of the hook. I’ve just seen too many of these to expect any uptick from yet another entry. The high rating I’ve given this shows just how happy I am to have rolled the dice on this one. Even after decades of reviewing, there’s no way to spot a winner just from the title or premise. Sleepers like this justify all the non-magical frogs I’ve had to kiss (figuratively, of course) along the way.
GHOST IN THE CELL is about as literally on point as a title can get. Dimas (Endy Arfian), a feckless nerd is wrongfully sent to a prison full of violence inflicted by inmates on each other, with even more sadistic treatment from the guards and warden. Dimas was a journalist who’d been in the jungles of Borneo to write an expose on abusive practices by industrial exploiters of the natives and land. Someone was killed and posed in an exceedingly gruesome manner. He’s blamed, even though obviously too wimpy to have done anything like that. But when one pisses off the rich and powerful, justice falls off the table.
Once in jail, a few more gory killings occur with similarly lurid arrangements of the corpses’ body parts. There were already rumors that the place was haunted. Soon the inmates suspect that Dimas brought the malevolent spirit with him. One of them, “Six” (Yoga Pratama), claims to start seeing auras of different colors around the others. The theory is that the ghost feeds on anger and when anyone’s aura turns red, they need to calm down immediately, or become the next victim.
As unlikely as that premise may seem, writer/director Joko Anwar makes it thrive as a very dark comedy, with a few surprisingly wild, silly moments that make it stand out from others in the genre. And those who stream it primarily for the gore will be fully satisfied with the horrific dispositions the ghost crafts, as well as what the humans inflict upon each other. If you liked the comedic and yucky combo of films like SHAUN OF THE DEAD, this one takes both elements to entertainingly hyperbolic extremes.
No more details. Let it surprise you as it did me for maximum enjoyment.
GHOST IN THE CELL, in Indonesian with English subtitles, is available on Blu-ray and Digital formats as from Well Go USA starting Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
We now return to Finland for the 5th season of Finnish TV’s “Arctic Circle,”with a season-long crime scenario challenging chief Nina (Iina Kuustoen) and her small Ivalo police force. They also handle their business in six efficient episodes, unlike the overlong first season’s ten. Well done, writers and producers!
For newcomers, Nina has worked her way up the ranks to chief in the first four seasons, while raising Venla (Venla Ronkainen) and, as of last year, her new infant, as a single mother. In many of these crime series, children of the protagonists tend to be a distraction or annoyance. But Venla, who has Downs Syndrome, has been a major asset in terms of both plot advancement and the series’ emotional depth. That continues to be the case in this year’s production.
For returning fans, the season offers a significant change of tone from last year’s creepy set of crimes. That one revolved around an approaching comet that a sect of religious fanatics believed to be the catalyst for the return of Jesus, compelling them to do a bunch of horrible things to make sure it happens. This time around, the focus is on technology and terrorism, which feeds into a significant real-life concern.
A group of hackers plants ransomware in the system of a conglomerate that controls Finland’s electrical grid. They are mostly Russians, some of whom are motivated by a huge payday; others by creating an opportunity for their homeland to make a move on Finland during a nationwide shutdown. The non-Russian among them, Vaga (Betadi Mandunga), has been foiled repeatedly by an anonymous super-hacker known as D-Time, who has protected many other companies and countries against such cyber-attacks. D-time is believed to Live in Finland which is why Vaga teamed up with the others to attack this target, hoping to force his nemesis into the open so he can kill the bastard (Vaga’s opinion, not mine).
The season’s events are triggered by a murder in Ivalo, putting the case on Nina’s desk. She’s also greeted with the unpleasant surprise of her baby daddy, Toni (Mikko Nousiainen), suddenly changing careers and joining her force as a trainee. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, as far as she’s concerned. When the cyber-attack occurs, that brings in another set of cops who specialize in those crimes. It also puts Nina at odds with them, since their missions overlap, but differ, and in some ways, pull in opposite directions.
The season is replete with conflicts and secrecy, creating high levels of dramatic tension and suspense that keep building to a thrilling conclusion in Episode 6. This might be my favorite season of the quintet. Although the cases are closed, they end with a significant open question about the future that calls for a sixth season to follow. Don’t let us down, Finland!
“Arctic Circle” Season 5, mostly in Finnish with English subtitles, debuts streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
A scene from the Finnish TV series ARCTIC CIRCLE Season 5. Courtesy of MHz Choice
So, who says that fairy tales and fables are strictly for the toddlers? Certainly not the folks behind this week’s fantasy/satire that’s now at the multiplex. Though it’s not a grand epic like the amazing WILDWOOD, it gets in lots of pointed barbs at societal norms and features a stellar acting ensemble. So what happens when a discarded woman (of a certain age) shakes things up by “hooking up” with a tall, mysterious stranger? Well, a lot, since he’s made entirely of WICKER.
Here’s the standard “setup “. Once upon a time (probably more than 400 years ago) in a tiny village (thinking middle Europe), a woman who sold fish in the market, known only as (‘natch) the Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman), was often ridiculed and dismissed by the village. She was well past the favored marrying age, possessed unconventional features, and smelled of her “trade”. Still, she felt something was missing from her solitary life, and desired a husband, despite the crude wedding traditions (see what they use instead of a ring in the ceremony). Oh, the only merchant in the market who respected her was the eccentric Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage). One day, he is stunned by her arrival at his home, even more shocked by her request. Handing him several coins, she asks him to “make” her a husband. He agrees and tells her to be ready to be wed at the chapel in a few days. On the morning, the townspeople are stunned by the appearance of a tall, red-bearded, stoic man made entirely of wicker (Alexander Skarsgård). He borrows shoes and a suit, telling them he is to be married. Finally, he walks into the church to meet his surprised and somewhat delighted “blushing bride”. More unconventional than the ceremony is the honeymoon at her home. The passion is so intense and physical that…they break the bed. That is his household “project”, the first of many. As a matter of fact, he dedicates his days to chores (fixing and repairing) and helping her gather fish, and his nights to “making her happy”.When he tells the local men about this, they’re quite angry that he’s not following their ideas of wife/servants. But the women are jealous of the Fisherwoman’s bliss and smiles of “satisfaction”. Will this straight-laced “uptight” village conspire to destroy this very unconventional union? Or can the duo possibly “live happily ever after”?
After her powerful performances in recent dramas, THE FATHER and THE LOST DAUGHTER, some filmgoers might forget that Ms. Coleman is a deft comic actress. Well, let this role be a reminder for us all. She’s the “dark cloud’ in the phony, forced sunshine of this close-minded ‘burg. She pushes back on all the snobbery and disdain thrown her way (and throws ’em right back). Then Coleman hints at the deep longing in the Fishwoman’s regimented life. And when her “order” arrives, Coleman beams with happiness, truly brightening her drab surroundings and neighbors (until they try to squelch it). She has a kindred spirit in the snarky, sneering Basket Weaver, given a dry, sarcastic persona by the terrific Dinklage. Even more than her, he’s looked down upon by nearly everyone, which prompts him to use his caustic wit as a shield and a mace. And then there’s the purity of his creation and the Fishwoman’s always-accommodating lover, the Wicker Husband, given life by the subtle, stoic line readings of Skarsgard. He’s an almost pure, newly hatched soul, taking everything literally, while trying to be pleasant around the very emotional villagers. Their chief agitator is Elizabeth Debicki as the Tailor’s Wife, so compelling as she watches her nemesis living her best life while she is trapped by the local customs and beliefs. She’s a great villainess who still evokes pity. There’s also a delightful supporting performance by the Doctor, who is more interested in his birthday dinner than in tending to a minor wound that becomes needlessly fatal.
Actually, all the actors playing the villagers are great at making the whole “the good ole’ days weren’t that good, really” sensibility soar. Much of the credit for that should go to the gifted directing/screenwriting (from the short story by Ursula Wills) duo of Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer (SAVE YOURSELVES!). They establish the sly, satirical mood early on with that bonkers take on weddings and continue skewering the “sweet simple country folk” cliché. They keep the jokes and slapstick zipping along, though not at the expense of the story’s emotional core. It is a love story (unlikely to be sure) so we’re hoping that the lovers are not brought down by outside forces (the results of mistrust nearly doom them). This gives more power to an ending that brings everything “full circle” with a denouncement worthy of the “Twilight Zone” and even the old EC horror comics (and their cousin, Mad magazine). Wilson and Huston make great use of the Budapest locations that riff on the squalor of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (minus the plague). Big kudos to the effects artists, many from Weta, in making this “basket-based” object of desire. And clocking in well under two hours, fans of fables and fabulous actors will enjoy the wickedly romantic comic “strands” woven in WICKER.
A chilling Helen Mirren stars as thriller novelist Patricia Highsmith, author of “Strangers on a Train” and the Tom Ripley novels in A TALENT FOR MURDER, a cat-and-mouse tale of the reclusive, flinty author and a young editor, Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich) sent by her New York publisher to the author’s remote home in Switzerland, with the aim to persuade her to write a sixth Ripley novel.
The story, set in 1995, the year that Highsmith died, is invented but is plausible enough to be believable. The invented meeting serves as a frame for battle of wills, wits and nasty tricks, as the pair collaborate on sketching out a novel about the murderous Mr. Ripley and reveal Highsmith’s nasty personality as well as literary brilliance. A TALENT FOR MURDER was adapted from the stage play “Switzerland” by its playwright, Joanna Murray-Smith, and directed by Anton Corbijn, whose previous works include CONTROL, THE AMERICAN with George Clooney, and A MOST WANTED MAN, based on an John LeCarre story and starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Director Corbijn creates a wonderfully moody and frightening atmosphere for this tense tale, with warm, rich tones and some creative lighting and camera work by director of photography Robbie Ryan. The Switzerland scenes were shot in Italy, and are beautifully claustrophobic, as well as simply beautiful.
The film is more a thriller, like Highsmith’s novels, but it does offer a little exploration of the complex, controversial author. Patricia Highsmith’s novels were influenced by Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Camus and Freud, and elevated the murder mystery genre to new literary heights, yet the brilliant writer who was also a nasty piece of work, a complex human puzzle known to spout misanthropic, racist and antisemitic views. There is a single line in the film, near the start of the meeting between the author and the young editor, where she voices some of those views but the words linger in the mind after that.
Before he arrives, young Edward Ridgeway has already heard a rumor that Highsmith poisoned a neighbor’s dog for barking too much, and he is uncertain whether to believe that or not. The young editor his boss first sent on this task, Bradley Appleby, has mysteriously vanished. Ridgeway understands that his job is on the line, and if he does not succeed, he need not come back.
On the train to Switzerland, the young Ridgeway meets a young woman, Clementine Balfour (Olivia Cooke), who is also traveling to Switzerland, to visit her wealthy aunt. The two chat and seem to hit it off but part ways when Ridgeway’s train arrives at its station. The meeting as strangers on the train is one of several echoes of Patricia Highsmith’s work scattered throughout the film.
Helen Mirren is brilliant as the difficult, scary aged author, but Alden Ehrenreich holds his own against her, and the scenes between the two of them are delicious fun. Mirren’s Highsmith bluntly tries to turn away Alden Ehrenreich’s Edward Ridgeway at first, but is finally persuaded to let him stay by the gifts he has brought, items she had requested: Brooks Brothers shirts, canned soup, and a large knife for her collection of weapons that she displays on the wall of her study. And by his revelation that he is an orphan, whose parents were killed in a car wreck, a detail that she says makes him interesting. Whether that is true might be something else.
As the two start to plot out the possible story, Ehrenreich’s Ridgeway brings in details of his recent “strangers on a train” meeting with Clementine. As the tale unfolds, Ridgeway reveals that he is an enormous fan of the Tom Ripley stories, and proves it by having the author read a random line from any of the five novels which he can then attribute to the correct one. The stunt softens the prickly author towards him, but only marginally. As the two work together, a Ripley-like side to the mousey Ridgeway emerges, and to underscore that, the director films Ehrenreich so he increasingly resembles Matt Damon in THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, even though the actors do not look much alike, a clever bit of camera and makeup sleight-of-hand.
The acting is first-rate, and the film also features Juliet Stevenson as Clementine’s rich Aunt Peggy. The film is at its best early on but in an effort to open up the stage play, director Corbijn has a sequence where Ridgeway leaves Highsmith’s claustrophobic retreat, and ventures into the village where her encounters Clementine and gets invited to a party at her Aunt Peggy’s mansion. The foray lasts a bit too long, and breaks some of the play’s pressure-cooker tensions between the famous author and her young collaborator. While the author spins out the story she is building with the help of the young editor, we see the characters of that new Ripley tale, with more polished Ehrenreich in that role and Olivia Cooke’s Clementine and her aunt in the story Highsmith is narrating, but after awhile, lines blur and it becomes hard to tell what is the new story from what is Ridgeway’s experience.
The film tends to lose steam with the detour into Ridgeway’s own life, and the ending is not as sharp and startling as it should be. Focusing on the cat-and-mouse tale in the fictional encounter also misses an opportunity to explore the complex, confounding, controversial real author at the film’s center, which would have been an interesting side-trip. Still, it is a good film, well-made and lush that evokes Highsmith’s writing well, as well as being a showcase for the always excellent Helen Mirren and the talented cast behind her.
A TALENT FOR MURDER opens in theaters on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.
Now, even though the Summer cinema season is over and the multiplex content is shifting toward more serious awards contenders, that doesn’t mean that comic book superheroes are going to “sit it out” for a couple of months until AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY. Neither are the supervillains, in case you were wondering. This weekend’s big “popcorn flick” isn’t from the MCU. Rather, it’s from the “guys up the street” (as Deadpool calls them). Here comes the third release from the “re-formatted’ DC Studios, headed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Their SUPERMAN soared while his cousin SUPERGIRL certainly didn’t (that crash left quite a box office “crater”). Now they’re going to the “dark side”. Sony has done that with their “Spider-verse” spin-offs with the webbed wonder’s foes. There’ve been three VENOM flicks, but don’t hold your breath for the return of MORBIUS or KRAVEN THE HUNTER. Now it’s DC’s turn, so watch out, “Bat-baddies” CATWOMAN and JOKER. Coming to the big screen (finally in “live-action”) is that malleable, morphing menace, CLAYFACE.
This “origin” story begins on a really great day for “up-and-coming” movie star heartthrob Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries). On a bright, sunny morning in Coast City (hey, you “Lanterns” fans), he reports to the set of his new picture just as it’s announced on live TV that he’s nominated for a big acting award. Of course, he’s going “clubbing” that night to celebrate, alongside his childhood pal from the tough “Narrows” section of Gotham City (home base of “you-know-who’), struggling actor Corey Bowery (Joshua James). The lucky streak continues as he connects with a stunner on the dance floor, an actress named Mia (Joana Ribeiro). Corey warns Matt that she’s the “arm candy” of a big-time mobster, but she’s solo tonight. But in the early morning hour, at her plush pad, Matt’s luck “turns bad”. Very bad. The duo awaken and see that the bed is surrounded by crime kingpin Marcos Szabo (David Dencik) and his “goon squad”. As Mia dashes away, the “boys” hold Matt down as Marcos takes a razor to Matt’s “million-dollar mug”. Even after several surgeries, he’s horribly disfigured and must wear a mask in public. While he recovers, Marcos and Mia “blitz” the media with the “spin” story that Matt had an accident after drugging her. Not even Corey will back up his pal (he’s fearful for his family). The trials with a bribed jury and judge cost Matt everything (his manager made bad investments, and his agent “drops him like a rock”. It’s back to a “dump” in the Narrows for Matt. He wallows in self-pity until he runs across an article on scientist Caitlyn Corrr (Naomi Acki), who has developed “nano-cells” that repair disease-damaged skin. Matt tracks her down just as she’s about to lose her lab (others have ripped off her methods), and offers himself up as a test subject. When she finally agrees, the results are staggering. It looks like Matt’s back, until the “cure” doesn’t “hold” (“I’m melting! Melting! What a world!”). But after he gives himself an “overdose” of the serum, Matt gets an unexpected “bonus”. He can meld himself into anyone’s image (like clay). Could this be his “return ticket” to stardom? And will this new “talent” enable him to exact revenge on Marcos and all those who wronged him?
After cutting his acting “teeth’ on a few minor movie roles and TV shows, Harries makes the big leap to a title-role leading man. You’d never know, since he lends lots of high-gloss swagger and confidence to the role of (just a bit of a stretch) Hollywood “hottie” (think early Leo and Brad) Matt Hagen.But when things take a turn, Harries also conveys that desperation when everything is taken by cruel fate (wrong lady, wrong night). Then he shows us that yearning turns to obsession, not only for his “healer”, but for vengeance. We see a pretty decent guy turn into a truly horrific monster. Ackie is also very good as the genius trying and failing to “rein” him in, mixing fear and attraction. Plus, she’s dealing with a personal conflict as she’s emotionally torn between Matt and her long-time fiancé, rare honest Gotham City cop John, well played with a gruff, tough-guy bravado by Max Mighella. Two Brits score in supporting roles: Eddie Marsan as Matt’s grifting manager and Rob Brydon as a grinning, slightly sinister late-night TV talk show host.
Director James Watkins (SPEAK NO EVIL) deftly shifts the film’s tone from “Tinseltown” satire (the excesses of super-stardom) to a dark mix of crime thriller and science “gone really wrong”. He meshes the recent body horror of THE SUBSTANCE (with lots of practical make-up effects and a bit of CGI), the 80s classic THE FLY remake, and a whole lot of the 90s “you’d think he came from a comic book” DARKMAN (using tech to take down thugs). Much of this comes from the script penned by Mike Flannigan (inspired by the wonderful “Feat of Clay” episodes of the iconic Batman animated series from 1992) and Hossein Amini. It also evokes the notion of the “creature” that dishes out justice to the evil “normals” that was a 70s horror staple (THEATRE OF BLOOD comes to mind). The biggest problem with the film may be that it’s trying too hard to shock and earn its “R” rating (a hard “R” at that). The mutilation of Matt is presented in long, gory detail, which may evoke lots of wincing (and shifting in the multiplex seats). And later, as Matt tests his powers by slicing his own flesh, it veers into the big problem (especially with teens) of “self-harm”. And we’re to accept the “magic” of the “nano-cells”: They can simulate clothing and aid you in vocal mimicry. Matt becomes almost unstoppable, but not infallible, as he uses his acting “improv” skills when he dons a new persona. The big finale “showdown” is a bit of a “letdown” as it never really concludes a major plot turmoil (I won’t spoil), and sets a follow-up in motion. Still, it’s nice to see a comic-based film go so boldly into horror territory, and it is a solid “B-picture” style entry for the new studio (the changing of the owners). As far as supervillain flicks go, CLAYFACE breaks the mold (and luckily it’s far from “moldy”).
