November 1, 1993 -- ``Malice'' appears to be another of those clunky psychological thrillers like ``Sleeping With the Enemy,'' but early into the film you find out the story is headed in a completely different direction.

``Malice'' is a story about scams. It piles betrayal, upon betrayal, upon betrayal to create a truly eerie atmosphere. In addition to the scam plot, there's another subpolt involving a serial rapist. The rapist subplot is unnecessary, and detracts from the main story. The plot is complicated enough without a red herring. There are numerous plot twists and a clever ending.

Bill Pullman plays a mild-mannered college professor, whose pregnant wife (Nicole Kidman) is operated on by an old high school friend (Alec Baldwin). The baby is lost, along with his wife's ovaries, during the operation and Baldwin is sued by the wife, who also leaves her husband.

The husband finds out he has been duped and decides to get even. Pullman is very good as the worm who turns. Baldwin is properly oily and Kidman is deliciously nasty. The plot is twisty enough to keep you guessing through most of the film, but not all of it.

This film rates a B.

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