The sign of a well-made thriller used to be the amount of discomfort it caused for audiences. But given the industry's obsession with serial killers and depraved acts of violence, you can't even trust that anymore.

In fact, nowadays you're more likely to jump because of a film's use of cheap scare tactics or squirm because of revolting gore than because you feel any real sense of suspense.

And even in those rare instances when a film actually does get your heart pounding, it usually can't sustain that for very long, a problem shared by two movies that opened Friday, "The Pledge" (reviewed on Page W3) and "The Gift."

SHE SEES DEAD PEOPLE.

That could be the tagline for "The Gift," a supernatural thriller that bears only the most superficial resemblance to the current standard-bearer in the genre, "The Sixth Sense."

Instead, it has a lot more in common with the somewhat overlooked film that came out months later (and in the wake of "The Blair Witch Project"), "Stir of Echoes."

Like that film, "The Gift" fades during its final act, which is particularly unfortunate in this case, because the movie seems to be building toward something stronger than the somewhat lame "urban legend" rip-off twist at the end.

And the 90 minutes that precede it offer a decent re-teaming of sorts between "A Simple Plan" director Sam Raimi and his star, Billy Bob Thornton, who wrote the screenplay with partner Tom Epperson.

What they've come up with is a fairly creepy piece of "hillbilly noir" and gothic horror that revolves around Annie Wilson, a widowed mother of three who uses her "gift," or telepathic talents, to barely eke out an existence.

In exchange for "donations," she gives psychic advice to her clients, including tormented car mechanic Buddy Cole (Giovanni Ribisi) and battered wife Valerie Barksdale (Hilary Swank), whose husband Donnie (Keanu Reeves) has physically threatened Annie and her boys.

But Annie gets a chance to use her unique talents for a higher purpose when she is asked to help find a missing woman, Jessica King (Katie Holmes). And Annie impresses even her staunchest critics when her visions lead the authorities to the woman's body, which is found in a pond behind the Barksdales' property.

However, even with Donnie arrested (and quickly convicted of murder), Annie's visions continue, leading her to believe that the real killer may still be out there — and that she may be the next victim.

Raimi and cinematographer Jamie Anderson do a fine job setting the mood for the piece, capturing the decrepit-looking Southern buildings in a way that suggests menace may be lurking around the corner.

However, they're both working with a script that doesn't even deliver on a major theme it seems to be developing (let's just say there was a better, more convincing way to end the movie than the far-fetched conclusion that comes out of the blue).

Despite that, Raimi also gets very good performances out of his cast, especially Blanchett (using a subtle accent), Greg Kinnear as the dead woman's fianc� and Reeves, who is a lot more convincing (and frightening) as an abusive redneck than you might think.

"The Gift" is rated R for violence (stranglings and savage beatings, including violence against women), scattered strong profanity, female nudity, brief gore, a brief sex scene and use of racial epithets. Running time: 112 minutes.

---

E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com