The movie's coming attractions preview has already given away too much of the plot, but I'll still try to refrain from telling all. Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play Norman and Claire Spencer, a married couple who have just sent their daughter away to college. Back at their luxurious home, things begin to change. One of Norman's colleagues moves in next door. Claire eventually comes to believe that the man has murdered his wife and dumped her body in the lake. Whenever she peers into the water, there seems to be a mysterious face staring back at her. Later, Claire decides that the face in the water is actually that of a missing young woman who attended the university where Norman teaches. Strange things begin happening; Claire hears voices and notices that computers and bathtubs are turning on by themselves.

Looking back at what I've just written, I realize what a lousy job I have done describing this plot. I can't really blame myself, though; a major problem with What Lies Beneath is that the movie switches gears halfway through. Just when you think you know which direction the plot is heading, it pulls an about-face and goes the other way. Normally, I would like a movie that kept me on my toes, but the shift in Hour 2 essentially negates everything in Hour 1. In other words, you waste a full hour following this plot, only to discover that what you've just seen has nothing to do with the rest of the picture.

Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer co-star in the less-than-thrilling thriller What Lies Beneath

Compounding the matter is that - even when the real plot kicks in - there's nothing scary about the film. Zemeckis builds a lot of tension but never pays it off. Any time an effort was made to scare the audience, I knew what was going to happen about five seconds before it did. What Lies Beneath falls prey to too many shock cliches: the "false scare" caused by the family pet, the "last grab" by the supposedly dead person, etc. The film also makes a common mistake: whenever the actor is all the way to one side of the screen and there's nothing but empty place on the other side, that is precisely where the bogeyman is going to appear. You might as well put a big sign in that space reading "KILLER POPS OUT HERE."

When a thriller doesn't scare you, it's easier to notice the gaps in logic. For instance, there are two or three scenes in which Claire comes into the bathroom to find the tub full of water. Doesn't it make sense that she would hear the water running? Or do ghosts have some magical ability to make water appear out of thin air? And how about the scene in which the ghost plays solitaire on the family computer and achieves high score? Are computer games the new preferred method for beyond-the-grave communication?

Yet another distraction is the way the screenplay keeps telegraphing what will happen. When Norman makes a point of telling Claire that their cell phone doesn't get a signal until they are halfway across a local bridge, you just know that little tidbit of information is going to play a crucial part later on (most likely involving Claire's attempt to get across the bridge so she can call for help). Then there's the moment when the plot suddenly halts in order to explain a special chemical that Norman is working with in his laboratory. When inhaled, it puts its subject in a catatonic state. Think anyone will be slugged with that chemical later on?

There are some things I admired about the film. Zemeckis isn't afraid to let his movie be quiet. He gives it a slow, methodical pace, punctuated by great bursts of silence -- unlike traditional horror movies, which are packed with noise. I prefer a more serene chiller, the kind that takes the time to listen for the voice of evil in the wind. While there were no jolts for me, I did get tense during a creepy bathtub scene that may give some people nightmares. The performances are pretty good, too. Pfeiffer is convincing as the haunted woman and Ford is very effective in a much different kind of role than he normally plays.

Some elements of the picture work, but then the movie lumbers to its clunky conclusion, a generic bit of horror where special effects dominate everything else. There's no surprise here; you'll know exactly which characters are in which locations, what they will do, and when they will do it. What Lies Beneath is certainly watchable, but with this caliber of talent, who wants to settle for watchable?

( out of four)

What Lies Beneath is rated PG-13 for terror/violence, sensuality and brief language. The running time is 2 hours and 10 minutes.