GIOVANI DIAVOLI

Pot-soaked teens in SoCal harassed by a possessed hand

A town is plagued by a series of killings as a group of unambitious high schoolers (Devon Sawa, Seth Green and Elden Henson) trace the problem to the uncontrollable appendage of one of their own.

“Idle Hands” (1999) is a manic horror comedy with macabre humor and lots o’ gore, influenced by bits from flicks like “Evil Dead 2,” “Re-Animator” and “An American Werewolf in London.” It’s often legitimately funny because it takes situations or lines and goes one step further for an over-the-top effect, similar to “There's Something About Mary” from the year before, just with a totally different milieu.

Jessica Alba turned 17 one week into shooting in 1998 and is a highlight. Meanwhile Vivica A. Fox is effective as a Druidic priestess hunting down the spirit responsible for the nefarious goings-on.

It’s creative, energetic, fun and bloody, but hindered by its curious obsession with pot-smoking. You could call it throwaway entertainment, which flopped badly at the box office.

It runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot mostly in Pasadena, which is just northeast of Hollywood; as well as areas nearby (Hollywood, Santa Clarita and Culver City for studio work).

GRADE: C