I went in expecting a sharply-dressed, gun-wielding Milla Jojovich to commandingly lead me through a bad movie filled with lots of cool action. For the most part, "Afterlife" met these expectations. Actually, the opening sequence teased of surprisingly higher quality. Shot from above, a street full of pedestrians shield themselves from the rain with an assortment of umbrellas floating beautifully in slow motion while one disenchanted young woman lets the rain run down her face. It's a sweet way to pull in the audience; unfortunately, it doesn't represent the film's overall quality, which quickly drops with some silly premise meant to get the battle-ball rolling.

Fine, I was in the mood to shut off my brain and curl up to some slick action. And while the action wasn't always cool, it was almost always engaging. That is, I remember saying to myself, "Oh, that CGI isn't very impressive." But I don't remember saying, "I'm bored." Further, in addition to that very sweet open, the film sports a few more visual gems. The big-hammer guy in the shower scene successfully impacted (no pun intended). Water, especially running water, looks great in 3D. Throw in two beautiful woman dressed to kill, a massive undertaker with an ax the size of a transmission and run the whole thing in slow mo ... now this it what we came to see! Kudos, too, are earned by the scene just prior, as Milla shoots 25-cent pieces through the crowd of undead lurking stupidly outside the prison.

No resident ever feels evil and the undead are just silly. This suited me, as I wasn't looking to be freaked out, just visually amused. In fact, the aerials over Alaska provided some refreshingly real vistas amidst the other slightly thin-feeling CGI backdrops. These aerials might even pleasantly remind you of those classic educational IMAX films that spend much of their time in the air. Overall, "Afterlife" offers a cheap thrill. It won't kick your butt, but it does have a few visually juicy (even stunning) scenes and a strong pace that doesn't quit.

Interesting Note: Throughout at least half of the film, the good guys are trying to get to a safe haven called "Arcadia." By sheer coincidence, I happened to be viewing the film at AMC's Santa Anita 16 located in Arcadia, CA. That was cool. But the theater's rather petite IMAX screen -- not so much.

-- Books by Ross Anthony, Author/Illustrator --