88 MINUTES — * — Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski; rated R (violence, torture, gore, profanity, drugs, rape, vulgarity, brief nudity, brief sex)

Despite what its title might imply, "88 Minutes" actually runs 20 minutes longer than that.

Of course, even lopping off that seeming excess time wouldn't improve this bad-taste, "torture-porn" thriller. It is so laughably dopey that it could use at least 88 more IQ points.

In fact, this could be the single dumbest movie to be released yet this year, which is no small feat. It's definitely the worst thing Al Pacino has been involved with in quite some time. Which, given his recent track record, is no small feat either.

He stars as Jack Gramm, a forensic psychiatrist and college professor who's testified in several high-profile serial killer cases.

Apparently one of these criminals has revenge on his mind, because Jack has just received a cryptic phone call notifying him that he has just 88 minutes to live.

The threat is obviously connected to one of Jack's earlier cases, that of a rapist-murderer (Neal McDonough) he helped put away. And it turns out a copycat is on the loose.

If he hopes to survive, Jack needs to narrow down the growing list of suspects, which includes some of his brighter students (Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski and Benjamin McKenzie), as well as his faithful assistant (Amy Brenneman).

The ultimate revelation of the killer isn't very shocking. And the buildup isn't particularly exciting, for that matter. The film is filled with thrill-less phone-conversation sequences.

It certainly doesn't help that veteran director Jon Avnet and hack screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson (the "Fast and the Furious" movies) try to turn Pacino into an action hero in places.

But the 60-something actor has his hands full simply trying to keep some unconvincing and ill-fitting wigs on his head, much less trying to tuck-and-roll convincingly.

As hammy as Pacino can be, though, at least he's animated, which is more than you can say for his co-stars. Witt and McKenzie both could have been replaced with cardboard standees and no one would have been the wiser.

"88 Minutes" is rated R for strong scenes of violence (shootings, bludgeonings, explosive and vehicular mayhem, and violence against women), sequences depicting torture, gore and blood, scattered sexual language (profanity and other suggestive talk), drug content and references (tranquilizers), rape and other sexual violence (mostly implied), vulgar gestures, brief female nudity, and brief sex (including an implied lesbian tryst). Running time: 108 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com