In the fourth installment of the “Resident Evil” movie franchise, the plot of “Resident Evil: Afterlife” takes a back seat to the incredible 3-D special effects and action scenes.

Milla Jovovich returns to play the lead role of Alice with Paul W.S. Anderson directing.

“Afterlife” takes place four years after an apocalyptic spread of the T-Virus, created by the sinister Umbrella Corporation. This virus turns the majority of the population on earth into blood-thirsty zombies. This film picks up right where “Extinction” left off.

For those not familiar with the third film, there is a mob of Alice clones that take over the Umbrella headquarters in Tokyo. This development is confusing and nonsensical because the film offers no explanation as to the origin of the clones and no clarification that the multiple Alices are clones in the first place.

As Albert Wesker (head of Umbrella) is fleeing the headquarters on a plane, the real Alice appears and a battle ensues. Since when does the head of a corporation do any dirty work anyway? After the plane crashes into a hillside, the film transitions abruptly to Alice in search of a safe haven known as Arcadia six months later.

What happened after the crash?

How did Alice walk away without serious injuries?

With these questions never being answered, Alice travels to Alaska to meet up with Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and decides to go to Los Angeles to continue her search for Arcadia. She meets the rest of the supporting cast on the roof of a prison surrounded by a sea of zombies.

The supporting characters fall under two extremes: Heroic and chivalrous or timid and weak &- the same cookie-cutter formula used in many action movies.

The action and special effects are where the film really shines. Anderson uses a lot of slow motion, which allows the audience to take a good look at the hundreds of particles of debris flying across the screen.

Bullets whiz by, walls disintegrate and heads explode in full detail (let me wipe the blood off of my 3-D glasses). The scenes featuring rain and water are particularly astonishing, with tiny drops filling up the entire screen.

Although the special effects and fighting scenes are amazing to watch, they are unoriginal and sometimes seem ripped straight from “The Matrix.” This is especially true when Wesker is dodging bullets in slow motion toward the end of the movie.

Unlike more intelligent thrillers that set an eerie mood that keeps viewers on edge, “Resident Evil: Afterlife” scares the audience by essentially having zombies jump out and say “boo,” but it’s still fun to get jolted out of your seat.

The few scenes where the filmmakers focus on character development fall flat. At one point, Alice sits down along the beach to reflect on her situation. The whole thing feels staged and melodramatic as she stares across the ocean talking to herself about being alone, and then looks longingly into the camera in an unremarkable attempt to make the audience care.

Although completely unrealistic (one man holds a plane from plunging several hundred feet) and lacking a decent plot, “Resident Evil: Afterlife” provides thrills and excitement with its top-notch special effects. It is an enjoyable experience to watch in theaters, but the lack of cohesion and depth in the story line do not make it worth a second viewing.

Tzahuiztil Sanchez can be reached at [email protected]