Got around to seeing “I Am Legend” last night, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Not being familiar with the book on which it was based, and not particularly being a sci-fi aficionado, I had no idea what to expect. In any event, it was an exciting mélange of “Castaway” and “28 Days Later,” neither of which I thought were particularly exceptional movies, although they both had their moments. Legend chronicles the fate of a lone human survivor, military scientist Robert Neville (played by Will Smith) after a mutant virus destroys civilization, turning mankind into a sort of zombie-vampire, only coming out at night. Neville is stranded in New York City, desperately trying to find a cure for the virus.

At a little more than an hour and a half, the movie is not too long, and not too short. It is an action-packed, edge-of-your seat sort of film, which doesn’t rely too heavily on the violence or grotesque imagery (à la 28 Days Later), choosing instead a balanced blend thriller and survival instinct. I’ll give it two thumbs up, for whatever that’s worth.