Clayface first reactions say the DCU horror movie "holds nothing back" and is "shockingly gruesome"

The first reactions have landed for Clayface, and it seems the new DCU horror is winning over early viewers. Directed by James Watkins, the movie tells the origin story of the iconic Batman villain, played here by Tom Rhys Harries.

With a script from Mike Flanagan, it seems the movie does not hold back on the body horror. Critics have been calling it "disgusting", "brutal", and "unsettling". Rhys Harries has also landed a lot of praise, while others have pointed out that the movie doesn't require any prior DC knowledge.

Collider's Steven Weintraub wrote: "Clayface was fantastic. An awesome addition to the DCU that doesn't require any knowledge of DC to enjoy. It's a hard R and loaded with brutal scenes that really surprised me. Audience freaked out a few times during my screening to what was being depicted on screen. "

Presenter Brandon Davis was also a fan, calling out director James Watkins "unsettling Gotham." He added: "Tom Rhys Harries is a star, literally in the movie and for his performance. Dude kills it. Well done by all."

"Clayface is one of the best horrors of the year," writes journalist Chalice Williams. "Was not expecting it to perfectly mesh horror and romance! Warner Bros & DC cooked with this & Mike Flanagan does not miss with his scripts."

"Dark, violent, with little levity to offset the nastiness, this is an exciting addition to Gunn’s DCU," writes film critic Peter Gray, who calls out how "brutal" the movie is.

Phase Hero host Jenna Anderson writes: "Clayface completely blew me away. It’s disgusting, inventive, and astonishingly funny and earnest. It slots into the DCU so effortlessly. You owe it to yourself to see it in a theater filled with other people’s reactions."

Check out some more reactions below.

Clayface hits theaters on October 23. For more on DCU Chapter One, check out our breakdown of all the upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.