Summer Movie Preview

SPAWN

Starring Michael Jai White, John Leguizamo, Martin Sheen, Theresa Randle, D.B. Sweeney

Director Mark Dippe

Opens Aug. 22

It's a best-selling comic book. and despite an ultraviolent story line about a murdered soldier (White) who's resurrected to be all that he can be in the army of Satan, it's also the inspiration for a line of popular kiddie action figures, not to mention a videogame and an HBO animated series. But can Spawn rehatch itself as a hit movie, too? New Line execs are betting $39 million that it can, as incubated (or is that succubated?) by creator Todd McFarlane and a pair of ex-ILM special-effects wizards, director Dippe and visual-effects supervisor Steve Williams (he did the Jabba the Hutt scene in the restored Star Wars). Dippe certainly has the lingo down, enabling him to enthuse at great length about Spawn's morph-prone suit, ''a necroplasmic virus that adheres to his necro-flesh like living armor.'' In a stretch, the trim Leguizamo stars as Clown, a super-fat villain flunky who becomes Violator ''when he's menstrual,'' says the actor. The elaborate makeup gave Leguizamo a puss full of blisters. ''It made doing drag for To Wong Foo feel easy,'' he adds. ''I think I preferred genital chafing.'' UPSIDE The effects should look hellishly good. DOWNSIDE Michael Jai who?