End is nigh for sloppy series

As ever, Jovovich is a gutsy, a**-kicking force of nature with enough pathos about her for Alice’s more emotional beats.

But the Ukrainian is let down by a sloppy script from her husband and an array of bland supporting characters.

Ali Larter (Claire Redfield) and Iain Glen (Dr Isaacs) return for their third appearances in the series and neither is given much to work with, while Australian model Ruby Rose (Abigail) is a long way from the catwalk in her listless first big movie role.

Anderson does deserve credit, however, for tying up many of the loose ends from the previous instalments, including an intense return to the first film’s Hive location.

There are some neat, gloopy kills too and Anderson also serves up a few of the series’ greatest hits with an array of mutated antagonists.

It’s a long way from the shuffling zombies associated with the original and much of the video game franchise, though, and if you like your undead a little more traditional then stick to The Walking Dead.

While the race-against-the-clock story and breakneck pace means developments are rarely dull, several key plot points and twists come and go in shambolic, loud and occasionally incomprehensible fashion.

Fans of the previous flicks get a few decent bangs for the bucks as they see this journey through to the end.

But for everyone else, this bog-standard Final Chapter will make for some painful viewing.