'Iron Lung' Review
- John Odette
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Release Date: 01/30/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Horror. SciFi.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Markiplier.
The Verdict: A Mistake
Films based on video games walk a tightrope. Often, they want to be faithful to the source material while also appealing to a wider audience. Many video game adaptations fail to do either. The latest addition to this niche genre, Iron Lung, rides hard in the faithful column as a devoted rendition of the cosmic horror game but fails to rise above its claustrophobic murkiness to come up for air or improve accessibility. The result is a rough experience that will surely please gaming devotees but will feel like an endurance run for newcomers.
The plot is simple, yet simultaneously puzzling to grasp. The long and short of the story involves a backstory of humans colonizing space, and the eventual rapture that destroys contact between all stars and planets. This predicament puts the rest of humanity in dire straits, threatening extinction. Are you with me so far?
A prisoner, charged with the destruction of a space station, is sentenced to pilot a sub in an ocean of blood in hopes of finding answers for the survivors, securing his freedom upon his success. Due to the thickness of the blood the submarine is submerged in, he taps an X-ray button to photograph anything outside the ship. Sometimes he sees monsters, sometimes he is hallucinating. This submarine, or "Iron Lung," is the principal set piece and ostensible death sentence for Simon (Mark Fischbach, a.k.a. the successful YouTube personality Markiplier). He is our hero on a voyage of the damned as he plumbs the bloody depths, searching for hope and survival.
The issue with Iron Lung is that it stretches itself too thin. The gameplay is 45 minutes, while the film meanders for over two hours, with repetitive shots and bloated pacing. Fischbach’s turn as an actor also leaves much to be desired. He can capture an audience, given his extensive following. But internet appeal does not automatically translate into a convincing performance in a demanding role, and his dramatic chops need serious polish.
Drawbacks aside, I must praise the ambition and drive taken to deliver this film. Fischbach, who also wrote, edited, and directed Iron Lung, wielded his influence and, through word-of-mouth, not only made this film, but also distributed it without a major studio, and inspired fan support to increase the number of 60 theaters for independent films into over 4,000 theaters globally for its opening box office weekend. Despite being frontloaded with the film’s flaws, I must respect the DIY/grassroots initiative that put a (somewhat) original story out in front of a large audience.
On a technical level, Iron Lung does shine in specific areas. The sound design is absolutely riveting, from markers deftly mapping an ocean chart on taped-up paper to the crunch of metal outside the sub. For a movie filmed in such a tight space, Fischbach creates some engaging sequences with extreme close-ups and off-axis framing, crafting a haunting atmosphere. For those audience members thirsty for scares, your satisfaction won’t come from actual horror; it will be quenched by a record number of gallons of blood used.
I cannot fully endorse this film because it was an exhausting and often boring experience. Sociologically speaking, this film will be regarded as a template for rising filmmakers and storytellers who do not want to play it safe or be formulaic in their own work. That aspect is respectable, and I love a good work ethic. But unless you are a Markiplier supporter or a champion of the original game, leave Iron Lung for the fanboys.
