by MATTHEW HAYS

No doubt the people behind Cursed caught Ginger Snaps, the little Canadian film that proved that werewolves could work again, and even spawn a franchise. They were then inspired to get a name horror director, assemble a cool cast and nail down a cameo from a Happy Days veteran.

The result, sadly, is a lot less fun than it sounds. Christina Ricci is a talent scout for Craig Kilborn's late night show (he's since been dethroned), where she endures any and all manner of vapid Hollywood egos. Then comes a fateful car accident, when Ricci and her brother are attacked by a massive wolf. He's convinced they were attacked by a werewolf, and finds some reason to believe his suspicions after checking up on monster lore on the Internet. Ricci doesn't want to believe it, but then strange physical changes start taking place. Cue the special effects.

Even an ironic appearance by Scott Baio can't quite save this film. (After Rebecca De Mornay in Identity and Jennifer Tilly in Seed of Chucky, it seems the self-deprecating cameo is the gag du jour for horror movies.) There are a few scary bits, but considering the team behind Cursed, it's sort of amazing that it's so lacklustre. Consider a partial list of the credits: Weinsteins produce, Wes Craven directs, Ricci stars, Baio demeans himself and Kevin Williamson (who penned the original Scream) writes. I guess all that talent cancelled each other out.

Where, for example, is the incredibly witty banter that ran throughout the original Scream? That film's selling point was its magnificent sense of humour, Williamson's clear recognition of the absurdity of the slasher genre. None of that here - instead, Cursed feels woefully recognizable and standard issue. As well, despite its being set in Hollywood, there are far too few shots taken at the entertainment industry - unlike Seed of Chucky, where the Tinseltown pot shots kept coming. I suppose it's unfair to judge all movies by that high a standard, but Cursed really does pale in comparison. By final credit roll, I felt like Williamson and Craven had been defanged.

Cursed opens Friday, Feb. 25

>> Movie Listings