THE REAPING — * 1/2 — Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Annasophia Robb; rated R (violence, gore, sex, profanity, brief drugs, vulgarity); Carmike 12 and Ritz; Century Sandy and South Salt Lake; Cinemark Jordan Landing; Megaplex 12, 17 and 20.

"The Reaping" trots out every Deep South cliche in the book, which makes this live-action occult thriller seem more than a little cartoonish.

The film also uses cheap scare devices galore — as in the kind that jolt the audience — in an attempt to generate some suspense, but which instead just shows how desperate the filmmakers were.

It's a wonder this completely scare-free "Omen" rip-off was able to attract the first-rate cast on display here. Hilary Swank stars as Katherine Winter, a former Christian missionary who now debunks religious "miracles."

But Katherine has found one such event that defies her scientific explanations. The river surrounding the town of Haven, La., has turned blood red. In fact, the waters appear to be human blood.

Understandably, the locals are freaked out and see this as the first of 10 biblical plagues, which they're blaming on a mysterious young girl Loren McConnell (Annasophia Robb), who supposedly killed her older brother.

The only fun here comes from watching actor David Morrissey try to mask his strong British accent with an unconvincing, exaggerated 'Nawlins drawl.

What made two-time Oscar winner Swank take this project is anyone's guess. The director, Stephen Hopkins, is barely competent (among his credits is the movie version of "Lost in Space"), and the script comes from two of the writers of the "House of Wax" remake.

But Swank isn't the only talent going to waste: There's Robb ("Bridge to Terabithia") and Idris Elba (HBO's "The Wire"), who plays Katherine's research assistant, along with William Ragsdale as the town sheriff and Stephen Rea, who shows up for about five minutes as an expository priest.

"The Reaping" is rated R for violence and other violent imagery (animals attacks and storms), blood and gore, simulated sex, some sexual language (profanity and other suggestive talk), and brief drug content (references to toxic chemicals). Running time: 99 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com