An extremely mixed bag, combining lyrical images and sharp-edged drama with dull cliches and contrivances that border on the ridiculous, "Higher Learning" is an attempt at ensemble melodrama, with stories of myriad students in the midst of racial tension on a contemporary college campus, the fictional Columbus University.

The central character is Malik Williams (Omar Epps), a high school track star who comes to his first year of college with a bit too much attitude. Early in the film, his confrontations with the track coach and his political science teacher, Professor Phipps (Laurence Fishburne), don't help his feelings of confusion and frustration. Later, he will begin to think more about his heritage and his life via his relationship with career student Fudge (rapper Ice Cube). And later still, Malik will find romance with another runner, the more grounded Deja (Tyra Banks).

Other prominent characters include Kristen (Kristy Swanson), a naive freshman who is raped after getting drunk at a frat party; Remy (Michael Rapaport), the psycho son of an Idaho survivalist who eventually joins a campus gang of skinheads; Taryn (Jennifer Con-nelly), a lesbian feminist who recruits Kristen; and Monet (Regina King) and Wayne (Jason Wiles), who are the non-judgmental roommates of Kristen and Malik, respectively.

There are some stirring sequences here, including an exciting relay race and a tragic incident at a peace rally toward the end of the film. And most of the actors manage to bring emotional depth to their roles - especially Epps, Banks, Fishburne and Ice Cube.

But as written, many of the characters here are obvious stereotypes, and the script gets bogged down in cliches as it simply tries to do too much. Singleton tackles some courageous themes and isn't afraid of taking risks, but he seems overwhelmed by his own material, as far too many characters remain underdeveloped, and the film gradually loses its focus.

This is perhaps best illustrated with what is sure to be the film's most talked-about scene, a lush, fantasy-romantic moment in which Kristen finds herself literally torn between two lovers - Wayne and Taryn. Singleton intends this sequence to illustrate Kristen's emotional upheaval as she finds herself drawn to another woman but isn't sure that's what she wants. But the moment is instead self-conscious and silly. (Singleton also seems to have been watching too many Spike Lee movies, allowing the soundtrack music to overwhelm the dialogue in places.)

The film really begins to spin out of control, however, once Singleton introduces the skinheads. Suddenly, we're in movie-cliche land, as if the film has switched gears from a thoughtful rumination on the problems facing today's young people in a college campus microcosm to a low-rent, wild-eyed thriller that should star Wesley Snipes or Bruce Willis.

Despite these drawbacks, however, there are many moments that ring true, from dorm parties to classroom tension, from financial problems to date-rape, from caring teachers counseling troubled students to rabble-rousers deliberately stirring up trouble, etc.

John Singleton remains a talented filmmaker who will undoubtedly make some fine movies in the future, but he is also young and unfocused, and like so many of the characters in this film, perhaps a bit too naive.

"Higher Learning" is rated R for considerable foul language, along with some sex and nudity and a scene toward the end that contains considerable violence.