RESIDENT Evil: Apocalypse, the gore-laden sequel to the 2002 zombie thriller, proves you can make something out of nothing.

Melding a ramshackle plot culled from the video game series, a largely unimpressive B-list cast and second-hand action sequences, first-time feature director Alexander Witt succeeds in bettering the original film.

Admittedly, that's something of a backhanded compliment.

The first Resident Evil film was a mess visually, providing all of the vicarious thrills of watching someone play the video game for two hours.

Apocalypse suffers from the same problems - not once do you feel remotely scared or part of the action - but the narrative is occasionally so overblown, the film attains glimmers of unintentional comic brilliance.

Alice (Milla Jovovich), the sole survivor of the assault on underground genetic research facility The Hive, awakens from cryogenic stasis to find her worst fears realised.

The deadly T-Virus has spread throughout Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corp has sealed off all exits to prevent the infected humans from spreading the contagion.

Discovering new-found strength, speed and dexterity, bio-genetically implanted by the Umbrella scientists, Alice continues to battle the slavering zombie hordes.

Thankfully, she is not alone in her perilous quest: gun-toting Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) and team leader Carlos Oliveira (Oded Fehr) from the elite Special Tactics and Rescue Services are also trapped in the city, fighting for their lives.

Help for the survivors also comes from wheelchair-bound scientist Dr Charles Ashford (Jared Harris), who promises Alice and her cohorts safe passage if they promise to save his daughter Angie (Sophie Vavasseur), who is hiding in the local school.

Alice, Jill and Carlos have no choice but to accept the mission, facing the relentless ravenous Undead to reach the girl.

Meanwhile, Umbrella Corp prepares to unveil its own weapon against the T-Virus: Nemesis, a genetically mutated killing machine programmed to kill any survivors.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse is old wine in a new bottle: shuffling, moaning supporting cast being blasted to smithereens with infrequent computer generated special effects and pyrotechnics.

The snarling hell hounds make another appearance in a school canteen sequence stolen shamelessly from Jurassic Park.

Jovovich fails to convey a single emotion as she leaps, somersaults and motorcycles to the rescue, including a gratuitous final fistfight with Nemesis to pad out the running time. Game over.

See it at UCI