George RR Martin story flabbily retold in a dreary postapocalypse where Milla Jovovich has few spells to cast as a witch for hire

This Europudding production plods unrewardingly through the murky and humourless terrain of science-fantasy; it is a movie of flabby characterisation, dull storytelling and midprice VFX work. German screenwriter Constantine Werner has adapted a story from fantasy author George RR Martin and the resulting dialogue lands like a series of sandbags on a concrete floor; director Paul WS Anderson handles the material with stolid determination.

The setting is some postapocalyptic futureworld where humanity’s remnants gather in an urban hellhole, while outside in the “lost lands” chaos reigns. Anderson’s partner Milla Jovovich bring a persistent blandness to the part of Gray Alys, a witch who, by defying the theocratic tyranny, has come to symbolise a growing resistance; she is being menaced by hatchet-faced, crop-haired witchfinder Ash (Arly Jover).