If it staggers and moans, it must be a zombie

What’s in this fall? Zipper sweaters, ponchos and zombies.

In “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” they prefer to call them the undead. But in my book, if it staggers like a zombie, drips like a zombie and uhn-uhn-uhns like a zombie, it’s a zombie.

These particular zombies have been unleashed on the fictional Raccoon City by an evil corporation, leaving babetastic Milla Jovovich and a few other lucky survivors to fight for their lives.

“Apocalypse” is a sequel to “Resident Evil,” one of those movies that did OK in theaters but was huge on home video. Aware that you might have taken a pass on the first film, this one opens with an efficient recap of the action so far.

Efficient is a good word for “Apocalypse,” which shines in comparison to other entries in the lamest current genre of film: videogame-based movies. Tough, expressive Jovovich is a fine heroine, there are several king-sized jolts and there’s a nifty comeuppance for the character who shows up in all of these movies: the ambitious, soulless TV reporter.

“Apocalypse” even has a sense of humor about itself. At least, that’s what I think is going on when one of the characters runs over a zombie and shouts, “10 points!” as if he’s actually playing the “Resident Evil” video game.

I hope that’s what is going on when the movie focuses on a pair of stacked zombies who had the foresight to remove their tops before becoming undead. And I know it’s playing with us in the clever finale, which – surprise – sets up the possibility of another sequel.

Although there may be one problem with that: Once you’ve used the title “Apocalypse,” what do you do for an encore?