“The Guardian” is the new horror film directed by William Friedkin, who was responsible for a string of near-classics including “The Boys in the Band,” “The Night they Raided Minsky’s,” “The French Connection,” and “The Exorcist.” His career has plummeted to a shocking low with the release of “The Guardian.”

“The Guardian” recycles cliches and plot elements from other movies and at times is a history of modern horror movies rather than an original movie. Some of the films that it borrows ideas from include “The Omen,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Evil Dead,” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Jenny Seagrove (best known for her role in the miniseries “A Woman of Substance”) is appropriately enigmatic and seductive in the role of Camilla, a British nanny who harbors a terrible secret.

Initially, she seems to be a perfect nanny. She is extremely knowledgeable about child care and has an instant rapport with the baby. Gradually, the father (and consequently the audience) learns that she has evil designs on the baby. This leads to a long and boring confrontation that seems to go on forever.

Camilla has near-omnipotent supernatural powers and she also has a wierd symbiotic relationship with a tree god. She also controls a pack of supernatural canines and can teleport instantly. The film never really reveals the limits of her powers and it sometimes seems that the writers made up her abilities as they went along.

The film has a very impressive visual style and is a veritable feast for the eyes. It uses rapid cutting to generate interest and unusual camera angles to keep the audience off balance. Some of the most menacing shots are taken from the baby’s perspective. Unfortunately, the film is all style and no substance.

The ominous music and the creepy visual effects combine to create an eerie atmosphere. The first half of the film keeps the viewers’ interest and it sets them up for a spectacular finish. When the climax occurs it is unoriginal and seemingly goes on forever. After a good setup, the film simply falls apart in the second half.

“The Guardian” is a partial success that has some good things going for it. The cinematography (by John A. Alonso) is outstanding and the special effects are realistic. Unfortunately, the preposterous storyline and wooden dialogue will probably make the film unsatisfying to everyone except die-hard horror fanatics.