`LAST SUPPER' SERVES A TASTY HELPING OF POLITICAL SATIRE.

Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic

One-joke movie that it is, ``The Last Supper'' nevertheless slips a good deal of political and moral complexity into its dark comic shenanigans.

The, um, tasty premise here is that five politically correct Iowa graduate students invite various breeds of right-wing ideologues to their funky old house for dinner. Then, depending on just how offensive the guests' views are to their hosts' enlightened sensibilities, the unsuspecting reactionaries either are or are not plied with poisoned wine.

Naturally, once the roommates start down this thrilling path, their open-mindedness quickly gives way to harsh standards of judgment. The coy central gag of Stacy Title's feature debut is an old but eternal one: Once they taste the liquor of power over others, well-meaning liberals can be as oppressive as control-minded conservatives.

While playwright Dan Rosen's script has a certain stagey quality to it, it does a nice, naughty job of differentiating both the victims and victimizers - all while cleverly sidestepping simple designations of who is really guilty or innocent.

Among the partisan poisoners, Courtney B. Vance is most compelling as Luke, whose cool intellectual cynicism gives way to bloodthirsty fanaticism. Cameron Diaz's (``The Mask'') Jude and Jonathan Penner's (TV's ``The Naked Truth'') Mark wrestle in different ways with conscience pangs, while sweet do-gooder Paulie (Annabeth Gish) is pleased to discover that murder enhances sexual gratification. Rounding out the roster of these apostle-named conspirators is Ron Eldard's Pete, who feels good because, unlike most liberals, his little band is doing something more than just talking.

The all-star - well, semi-star - cast of targeted guests includes ``Apollo 13's'' Bill Paxton as a belligerent redneck, Charles Durning as a homophobic clergyman and Ron Perlman as a right-wing TV commentator with a surprisingly sophisticated sense of Realpolitik.

Though definitely schematic and a tad limited by its tiny budget, ``The Last Supper'' is still an admirable stab at contemporary political satire. That you really can't tell which side the filmmakers are on makes this titillating, toxic comedy all the more delicious.

THE FACTS The film: ``The Last Supper'' (R; violence, sex, language, drug use).

The stars: Cameron Diaz, Annabeth Gish, Ron Eldard, Jonathan Penner, Courtney B. Vance, Ron Perlman, Jason Alexander, Nora Dunn, Mark Harmon, Bill Paxton.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Stacy Title, written by Dan Rosen, produced by Larry Weinberg and Matt Cooper. Released by Sony Pictures.

Running time: One hour, 34 minutes.

Playing: Sunset 5, West Hollywood; Century 14, Century City; Criterion, Santa Monica.

Our rating: Three Stars.

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Photo

Photo: Ron Eldard, left, Cameron Diaz, Courtney B. Vance, A nnabeth Gish and Jonathan Penner propose a toast to their latest victim in ``The Last Supper.''