Clayface Debuts Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, but Embargo Drama Complicates the Win

Who would have ever expected Clayface to debut with a fresh tomato next to it? The score has wiggle room. It could still go up, and it could go down. But even if it drops, it's at a place where it'll probably stay fresh when all is said and done. That's a win for DC, and a desperately needed one.

The early Clayface review has tainted what should have been a clean win for DC

This should be a slam dunk for DC. What complicates it is the review embargo drama that came first. That's one of the reasons people had a problem with a review dropping before the embargo lifted.

I expect the argument to split in two. On one side, people will argue that some people do have an agenda against DC, that the movie was always good, and that some people tried to jump the line and take it down. On the other side, people will argue that this score is evidence of critics being nice to the studio.

I don't think critics went easy on the studio, but sympathy might have played a part

I don't think it's that. But I do think there's a chance that people were still writing their reviews when that other review dropped early. So there might have been some sympathy for Clayface, with critics thinking "it's not Morbius bad" and maybe pulling back a little on their critique.

The point is that the early review dropping before the embargo tainted the whole situation. Now that's something Clayface has to deal with.

I think the positive Clayface score is a silver lining for Warner Bros. and DC

I see the movie the same day my review goes up. I'm now very curious, and I think that curiosity is a silver lining for Warner Bros. and DC. This positive score makes people think maybe there is something there they want, and that maybe they should decide for themselves.