Go ahead, laugh "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" right off the big screen. Don't feel guilty about it, either, because this woefully bad horror film deserves the rudest treatment possible.

It's almost as if the film's makers and distributor, Artisan, had such a low opinion of moviegoers' taste that they could slap together anything, give it the "Blair Witch" Seal of Approval and still believe they'd make a fortune doing it.

Whether that will happen depends on the public, but suffice it to say that "Blair Witch 2" is so completely awful that it could be the worst horror sequel of all time — surpassing even the worst follow-ups in the "Hellraiser," "Friday the 13th" and "Halloween" series.

And regardless of how they felt about the first film, even the most diehard detractors of "The Blair Witch Project" will have to admit that it looks a whole lot better in comparison to "Book of Shadows," which is every bit as remarkably and painfully clich�d and unsubtle as the first was original and — many would still say — subtle.

Perhaps the only thing you can give "Book of Shadows" credit for is its risky acknowledgment of the first film's fictional nature. However, this one purports to be a "dramatic re-enactment" of real-life events that took place after the movie's release.

Many Burkittsville residents are cashing in on the success of the first film, including black-sheep townie Jeff (Jeffrey Donovan), a twentysomething guy with a questionable past. He's running the "Blair Witch Hunt," a tour of sites made famous in the first film.

Joining him on his maiden voyage are four "Blair Witch" fans — Wiccan Erica (Erica Leerhsen), Goth Kim (Kim Director) and academicians Stephen (Stephen Barker Turner) and Tristen (Tristen Skyler). These five head out into the Black Hills to document what they find.

But once they get there, they embark on a night of drunken reveling, only to wake up and find their camera equipment destroyed. Freaked out by this, they head back to Jeff's warehouse loft to look at the still-intact tape recordings, but weird occurrences continue: They hear mysterious voices, weird markings appear on their bodies, and there is evidence to suggest they may not have been alone in the forest and that something may have followed them back.

On paper, this doesn't sound like the worst set-up for a movie. And the fact that the director is Joe Berlinger, who filmed the acclaimed documentary "Paradise Lost," might at least offer some hope.

Unfortunately, that hope is quickly dashed by the campy pseudo-documentary opening; clueless, lame attempts at humor; and, worst of all, amateurish performances.

None of the principals can act (Director and Turner are particularly bad), though the worst of the lot is Lanny Flaherty, whose dramatic overacting as a sheriff is the film's one real hoot.

"Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" is rated R for graphic violence (including stabbings and disemboweling), frequent strong profanity, graphic gore, male and female nudity, simulated drug use (marijuana), brief simulated sex and some crude sexual references and talk. Running time: 89 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com