TL;DR – A film that is all-vibe, but it leans into that vibe with a gusto you rarely see.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

Iron Lung Review Introduction –

Today, we are diving [pun intended] into some fascinating independent cinema: a film made from an Indy video game, and then independently financed by a YouTube star in their directorial debut. That is such a fascinating combination that I had to take a look.  

So, to set the scene, sometime in the future, a calamity has occurred where every inhabited planetary system disappeared in a catastrophe called the Quiet Rapture. Only those living on artificial structures survived, and there are not many humans left. Humanity is heading fast into extinction when a random moon AT-5 is found covered in an ocean of blood. Using convicts, they explore this ocean for answers. One of those “volunteer” pilots is Simon (Mark ‘Markiplier’ Fischbach), a man with a lot of blood on his hands. He is welded into a submersible called SM-13 and sent to the bottom of the ocean to explore, only to find there might be horrors in an ocean of blood.

The Vibes of Markiplier

A lot of this film, especially the first half or so, is powered by the sheer force of will that is vibes. You only have one set and one physical actor for the majority of the film, so you must make the most of everything you have, and the film takes that challenge with the intensity that you need. So much of what makes this film work is a pitch-perfect use of sound effects to make every moment of tension that much worse. You feel every creak, every scratch, and every groan in your soul because you can’t help but put yourself in that claustrophobic environment. They also achieve this with the effective use of lighting. The green glow of the consoles, the dark submersible only truly illuminates when a scan fires, and then the contrasting blue of the station with the blood of the ocean. Even the choice to only see what is around you via the scan makes all the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and that is before the whispers start.     

The Central Focus

While there are some voices and some brief character interactions, the vast, and I mean vast, majority of the film is just with Markiplier and his character. I have not seen a lot of his YouTube work, but from what I have seen, I knew he is a good communicator with a baritone quality to his voice that I am sure people would kill for if they could. However, in this, he is Writer, Director, Editor, and Lead Actor. That is a lot of different hats to juggle, and can I say, I think he pulled it off. Sure, there are a couple of moments where they don’t quite hit the emotion the scene is reaching for, absolutely. However, when you put the whole performance together, you get a compelling character piece, with some of the choicest expletives I have heard in the cinema in a while.    

Things are Getting Weird with this Narrative

When I was talking about the vibes before, they also extend a bit to the narrative. Now, I do think I missed the first minute or so of the film, which may have given me a lot more context, but you can quickly pick things up from context clues. However, while the narrative is always a touch obtuse, you are driving a submersible through an ocean of literal blood. It does take a hard swerve into the esoteric as the film progresses. I will say, I did find myself detaching from the narrative in the back half of the film when it gets bizarre and not all the experimental content pays off. However, I would say the ending sticks the landing, and I would prefer something experimental that does not quite work to something safe and bland.

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Iron Lung? Yes, if you fit some narrow groups. If you are a fan of Markiplier or the original video game, then absolutely, but then you probably have already gone and seen it. If you are a fan of Sci-fi Horror that is playing in a similar thematic ballpark as films like Event Horizon, then also give it a watch.    

Have you watched Iron Lung? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Iron Lung, we would recommend Annihilation to you because it also delves into that experimental combination of horror and sci-fi in a way that constantly leaves you unsettled.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Iron Lung
Directed by – Mark Fischbach
Screenplay by – Mark Fischbach
Based on – Iron Lung by David Szymanski
Music by – Andrew Hulshult
Cinematography by – Philip Roy
Edited by – Mark Fischbach
Production/Distribution Companies – Markiplier Studios
Starring – Mark Fischbach
With – Caroline Rose Kaplan, Troy Baker, Elsie Lovelock, Elle LaMont, David Pettitt, Seán McLoughlin, David Szymanski, Rahul Kohli, Rachell Hofstetter & Ethan Nestor
Rating  – Australia: MA15+; Canada: 14A; Germany: na; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R