Here's yet another movie with a misleading advertising campaign. "Wishmaster" invokes the name of horrormeister Wes Craven — whose many writing-and-directing credits include "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and last year's "Scream" — in this manner: "Wes Craven Presents . . . "

But Craven's credit is merely "executive producer," a Hollywood title that means he had nothing to do with the movie but is now entitled to some of its profits.

As for the film, "Wishmaster" is little more than a dark variation on the genie-in-a-bottle genre, in this case a Djinn in an opal.

Under the opening credits, a mysterious hooded figure in some ancient historical period fashions the opal. And then, in the film's first sequence, people wearing togas in the same time period go mad at a party, as nasty special-effects creatures chew on them or tear them apart.

This establishes the plot — that a genie-demon called a Djinn (Andrew Divof) may be awakened by rubbing the opal. Then, when that person is granted three wishes, the Djinn can summon his demon army to take over the Earth.

That first scene also establishes the film's tone — gruesome, nasty and mean-spirited, with emphasis on gory, gooey special effects.

Inevitably, the film shifts to "America, present day," as the opal is jarred from a large museum piece being loaded on a dock. The opal is then stolen by a dockworker and sold to a pawnshop owner (comic John Byner in a miniscule cameo), who in turn sells it to a high-rolling auctioneer (Chris Lemmon, son of Jack).

One of his employees (Tammy Lauren) investigates the opal and accidentally lets the Djinn loose. She is then stalked by the creature as he takes human form (by literally ripping off human faces). In the showdown finale, the Djinn coaxes Lauren into making her three wishes, as she tries to figure out a way to destroy the monster before they're all used up.

An especially irritating element of "Wishmaster" is that there seem to be no rules for the Djinn. Though it is explained that each victim must make a wish before he can wreak havoc, the creature just tricks people into simply asking for something. Then he takes their souls. It's not like they get to enjoy some great wish first.

For example, a security guard at a party is asked by the Djinn if he'd like to escape his mundane life. He says "Sure," and suddenly finds himself chained in a straight jacket, floating in what appears to be a water-filled phone booth.

What's more, when someone makes one of these simple "wishes," the Djinn kills all kinds of innocent bystanders as he goes after that soul.

Of course, irony, wit and subtlety are probably not what anyone expects from horror movies these days. And they are certainly absent from this shock-and-jolt gorefest, which favors characters spitting up blood . . . along with wiggly, tentacled creatures.

The film's ads make much of the fact that the cast includes cameos by Kane Hodder (hockey-masked Jason in some "Friday the 13th" movies), and Tony Todd (the title character in the two "Candyman" films), along with a larger supporting role filled by Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund.

That's a recommendation?

"Wishmaster" is rated R for considerable violence and gore, along with some profanity.