Yet more signs that you're watching a really bad movie: Even a supporting cast member in a relatively minor role asks not to be credited for her work.

In this case, the movie would be "Lost Souls," a misguided attempt to redo "The Exorcist" in a more "restrained" or "cerebral" manner, and the person with the smarts to want her name removed from its credits is Alfre Woodard, a talented actress who, nonetheless, did leave her name on such duds as "The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag" and "Extremities."

Not that you can blame her for declining to be associated with this dud, a good-looking but unbelievably boring horror movie that couldn't elicit even the slightest jolt or shriek from the most nervous moviegoers — unless they fall asleep (something that's actually likely to happen) and manage to be startled awake during a particularly loud moment.

Besides, Woodard is just one among a whole bunch of talented performers damaging their careers and reputations here. Leading the pack is Winona Ryder, who stars as Maya Larkin.

Currently working as a French instructor at a Catholic seminary, Maya was once possessed by a demon and now acts as a secular assistant to the man who saved her soul, Father Lareaux (John Hurt).

However, one of Lareaux's exorcisms goes horribly awry, leaving both a possessed killer (John Diehl) and a priest incoherent and comatose. The incident also confirms their worst fears about a satanic conspiracy.

To be more specific, Maya and the others believe that Satan will soon inhabit the body of a human being, that of best-selling crime author Peter Kelson (Ben Chaplin, a Brit affecting a New York accent).

So her task is twofold. First, she must convince the atheistic man that he's about to become the Lord of Lies. And secondly, she must find a way to prevent his transformation or kill him before that happens.

Despite its all-too-familiar plot and even dopier dialogue (by first-time screenwriter Pierce Gardner), "Lost Souls" is a good-looking film. Director Janusz Kaminski (the Oscar-winning cinematographer of "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List") and director of photography Mauro Fiore are able to capture a series of startling images (particularly Maya's hallucination in a public restroom). But they are also drawn from a stockpile of demonic horror movie cliches, such as the dim lighting and running (or in this case, dripping) water.

Even more problematic is the fact that Kaminski is unable to sustain any sense of tension or even coax anything remotely resembling consistent performances out of his cast. Ryder, in particular, is so aloof and odd that she's not exactly sympathetic. Of course, neither is Chaplin, and the supporting players are either underutilized (Elias Koteas, as another of Lareaux's followers) or laughable (especially the dopey Diehl as a vicious murderer).

"Lost Souls" is rated R for violence (gunplay and attacks by possessed victims), scattered strong profanity and brief gore. Running time: 95 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com